Persuasive Communications

1. Persuasive Communications

2. Communication Model Encodes Selective Exposure Sender (source) Message Channel (medium) Receiver (consumer) Decodes Responds Appropriately? Yes No Miscomprehends? Yes Feedback No

3. Sender • Sources encode message with symbols, pictures, words, images. • Formal sources: • Company, business, organization • Informal sources: • Family, friends

4. Source Effects • The impact a particular source has on message delivery and comprehension. • Source credibility • Perceived trustworthiness • Formal vs. informal • Source attractiveness • Perceived social value • Sleeper effect

5. Channel (Medium) • The message is delivered via some channel: • Paid vs. unpaid • Personal vs. impersonal • Print • Broadcast • Electronic

6. Receiver • The target audience. • Receivers decode message based on their own experiences and personal characteristics. • Affecting decoding: • Information processing system • Level of involvement • Mood • Noise

7. Feedback • The message the receiver sends back to the sender. • Feedback may be verbal or nonverbal. • Measuring feedback.

8. Designing Persuasive Communications • First, establish communications objective. • Create awareness • Promote image • Message retention • Stimulate action

9. Designing, continued... • Second, choose media strategy. • Which media does your target audience listen to or read? • Consumer profile--specific media consumers read or watch. • Audience profile--descriptions of audiences that listen to/watch specific media.

10. Designing, continued... • Third, decide on message strategy. • Goal of the message strategy is to be persuasive relative to the communications objective. • Issues to consider: • Words vs. pictures • Vividness • Repetition • Semantics

11. Message Presentation • Message framing • Level of involvement should be considered when deciding on message presentation.

12. One-sided vs. Two-sided Messages • One-sided messages • Present positive messages, supportive arguments • Most effective when the audience is: • Friendly • Favors the communicator’s position • Unlikely to hear opposing position

13. Two-sided messages • Present both positive and negative information--supportive and refutational arguments • Most effective when the audience is: • Not already loyal to product • Well-educated • Likely to hear opposing claims • Already aware of negative information about the product

14. Inoculation Theory • Presenting refutational arguments to consumers before they hear it from others makes the message appear more credible. • Inoculates consumers from competitors’ ads that will be negative.

15. Comparative Advertising • Messages that directly compare a brand to a competing brand. • Comparison in terms of one or more specific attributes. • Most effective when they help consumers differentiate between two brands. • Disadvantages: Consumers may not be able to differentiate; false claims.

16. Emotional Appeals • Fear appeals • Used in over 15% of TV ads • Used to either encourage or discourage certain behaviors • The intensity of the fear appeal is related to its effectiveness--moderate levels of fear appear to be most effective.

17. Attitude change Degree of fear

18. Humor Appeals • Danger--makes product look ridiculous • Most effective when: • Clearly identifies brand and humor does not overwhelm the product • Distracts attention away from counterargumentation • Appropriate to brand’s image • Used with existing products • Used with low-involvement products

19. Humor, continued... • Most effective when: • Audience is younger, better educated, upscale, professional • Ads are shown in action-adventure environment rather than sitcoms (contrast effect, Gestalt)

20. Abrasive Advertising • An unpleasant ad that antagonizes listeners • Agony commercials that show graphic detail upsetting to consumers

21. Sex Appeals • Effective when sex is related to the advertised product. • Ineffective is used just to attract attention--may interfere with message comprehension and cognitive processing.