Media message & creative execution

Message It is the thought, idea, attitude, image or other information that the advertiser wishes to convey to the target audience How an advertising message is presented is critically important in determining its effectiveness

Message structure Sidedness Refutation Order of presentation Conclusion Drawing Verbal vs Visual Message

sidedness Two Sided Messages: Mostly seen in case of comparative advertising Good and bad points are presented One Sided Messages: Tend to confirm what the audiences already believe about the brand in the form of support arguments

Message Sidedness Relation to text This slide relates to material on pp. 193-194 and Exhibit 6-11 of the text. Summary Overview A one-sided message mentions only positive attributes or benefits. A two-sided message presents both good and bad points. This ad for Buckley’s cough syrup is a good example of a two-sided message. Ads for the brand typically poke fun at the cough syrup’s terrible taste, but also suggest that the taste is a reason why it is effective. Buckley’s has a long history of dwelling on the negative, with ads containing such promises as, “Relief is just a yuck away”, and “Not new. Not improved.” The humorous, two-sided ads have helped make the Buckley’s one of the leading brands of cough syrup in Canada, and the company is using the campaign to enter the U.S. market. Use of this slide Use this slide as an example of a two-sided message structure.

refutation A special type of two-sided message The advertiser first presents both strong & weak points about the product or service then refutes the views concerning the weakness

Refutation Relation to text This slide relates to page 194 of the text. Summary Overview In a special type of two-sided message known as a refutational appeal, the communicator presents both sides of an issue and then refutes the opposing viewpoint. Refutational appeals are more effective than one-sided messages because they tend to “inoculate” the target audience against a competitor’s counterclaims. This ad used by the Almond Board of California refutes nutritional concerns about the fat content of almonds. Use of this slide Use this slide to introduce the topic of refutation.

Order of presentation Placement of information Primacy Effect: Info learnt first will be remembered better Recency Effect: Info learnt last will be remembered better Thus, place strong points at beginning and end of ad

Order of Presentation Beginning Middle End Recall Relation to text This slide relates to material on pp. 192-180 and Figure 6-5 of the text. Summary Overview A basic consideration in the design of a persuasive message is the order in which message arguments will be presented. Research on learning and memory indicate that items presented first and last are remembered better than those presented in the middle. As this chart shows, the strongest arguments should be placed at the beginning or end of the message, never in the middle. Presenting the strongest arguments at the beginning of the message assumes a primacy effect is operating, whereby information presented first is most effective. Putting the strong points at the end assumes a recency effect, whereby the last arguments are most persuasive. Use of this slide This slide can be used to explain message recall as a function of order of presentation.

Order of presentation Climax Order: saving the best for last Anticlimax Order: putting your best material first Pyramidal Order: sandwiching the best material in the middle

Conclusion drawing Should message explicitly draw a firm conclusion or let audience draw their own conclusion? Explicit conclusion -- more easily understood; enhances attitude Effectiveness depends on: Education of target audience Complexity of issue/topic

Conclusion drawing Benefits of non-conclusion drawing Reinforces message More memorable

Conclusion Drawing Relation to text This slide relates to page 193 and Exhibit 6-10 of the text. Summary Overview Marketing communicators must decide whether their messages should draw a firm conclusion or allow receivers to draw their own conclusions. In general, messages with explicit conclusions are more easily understood and effective in influencing attitudes. However, this effectiveness can depend on the target audience, the type of issue or topic, and the nature of the situation. Use of this slide This ad for Silk Soymilk is a good example of an open-ended message, which encourages consumers to be open to the idea of drinking soymilk.

Verbal Versus Visual Messages The nonverbal, visual elements of an ad are also very important. Many ads provide minimal amounts of information and rely on visual elements to communicate. Commonly used visual elements are pictures.

Verbal vs. Visual Messages Relation to text This slide relates to pp. 194-195 of the text. Summary Overview Visual images are often designed to support verbal appeals. In this ad, for instance, Rain-X Self-Dry Car Wash uses a clever visual image to communicate the key attribute of the product. Other advertisers design ads in which the visual portion is incongruent with, or contradicts, the verbal information presented. The logic behind this strategy is that the use of an unexpected picture or visual will grab consumers’ attention and get them to engage in a more effortful or elaborative processing. Use of this slide This slide can be used as part of a discussion about verbal and visual messages.

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