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Integrated Marketing Communications
Lecture 2: The communication process (Chapter 2)
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Chapter 2
The communication
process
2
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Learning objectives
Introduce Identify Relate
The How the element The basic
communication of the features of the
process communicaion
process transfer two models of
meaning from consumer
the sender to the behaviours:
receiver
- CPM
- HEM
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Content
An introduction to the
communication process & its
elements
Consumer Behaviours in assessing
the message
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The communication process & its elements
A Model of the Communication Process (Belch, 2019)
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Details of the elements of the communication process
• This is the sender of the message (e.g. an advertiser or
salesperson) who has ideas about the product to share with
Source the target audience. They encode these ideas by translating
them into symbolic form
• To create brand awareness and recall
Communication • To establish a positive brand image in a consumer’s
objectives memory via positive associations
• To encourage purchase behaviour
Message
• The message is the symbolic expression of what
the communicator intends to achieve
• The path of the message as it moves from source
Message channel
to receiver (TV, newspaper, billboards, t-shirt)
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Elements of the communication process (cont.)
• The target audience (current and potential customers) with
Receiver whom the source attempts to share ideas
Communication • The target audience’s experiences or outcomes received, which
outcome must match the communicator’s expected outcomes
• The means through which the source evaluates how accurately
Feedback the intended message is being received and whether it is
accomplishing its intended objectives
• Interference and distortion at any stage of the communication
Noise process that may interfere, interrupt or distract from the
intended message
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Effective communication
• Effective communication ensures that the message
from the sender to the receiver is based on a common
meaning.
• A lack of common meaning can lead to:
üa waste of resources
üan ineffective message
Neural cues
• Neuromarketing research shows that certain aural/sound (and other cues)
can be especially appealing to consumers.
• Marketing communication appeals rely on our senses.
• All brand touchpoints, whether company-created or not, have an impact.
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Communications for the 21st century
• Technology will influence:
• how information reaches consumers
• who seeks out information
• places where information can be gathered, outside of those created by
marketers.
• A two-way communication model for this technology- driven age
needs to be adopted.
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Communication model for the
technology-driven age
Marketing communications and
meaning
• Meaning is developed by accomplishing specific
brand-level objectives.
• Meaning can be derived from a number of
perspectives:
üsemiotics
üsymbols.
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1. Semiotics (Ký hiệu học)
• Semiotics is the study of signs and
the analysis of meaning-producing
events.
• Signs are stimuli that may include
both linguistic and non-linguistic
signs.
• Meanings are the thoughts and
feelings evoked by the stimuli.
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Semiotics formula
Signs Meanings
(non-linguistic (perceptions and
stimuli) affective reactions to
a stimuli)
Semiotics
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Signs
• Signs are the stimuli used to evoke an intended meaning.
• Signs contain no meaning in themselves; they must be paired with a
person’s internal responses.
• Signs are most effective when they are common to both the sender
and receiver.
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Meanings
• Meanings can be considered the perceptions (thoughts) and affective
reactions (feelings) of the receiver.
• Meanings are evoked by stimuli (signs).
• Meanings are internal and open to interpretation.
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External influences on meanings
• Marketing communications take place in cultural and social
environments that are already loaded with meaning.
• These external influences (values and beliefs, and artefacts of these
values and beliefs) are learned through socialisation.
• These external influences can influence the internal interpretations of
the marketing communications.
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2. Symbols (Biểu tượng)
• Symbols are used to establish a
relationship between a brand and a
referent; e.g. Red Bull uses the
picture of two bulls to represent
strength.
• Often the symbolic relationship is
established using figurative, or non-
literal language.
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Three forms of figurative language
Simile
• uses comparisons (as or like) to highlight the message.
Metaphor
• applies a word or phrase to give meaning to concept or object it does
not literally describe – ‘love is a rose’.
Allegory
• characters, figures or events are used in a narrative or pictorial form
to represent difficult-to-advertise products.
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Simile Metaphor Allegory
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Behavioural foundations of marketing
communications
Understanding the behavioural foundations aids in:
• influencing consumers’ brand-related beliefs
• attitudes towards the brand
• emotional reactions to the brand
• ultimately, the choice of brand.
Two models at either end of the
continuum
Consumer processing Hedonic, experiential
model (HEM)
model (CPM)
• pursuing objectives
• pursuing objectives such as fun,
such as value for amusement or
money and sensory stimulation.
maximising profit. • Hot, Emotional,
• Cold, Calculating, Three Fs (Fun,
Cognitive, Brain Fantasies, Feelings),
Heart
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Head OR Heart
• Analysis of consumer choice should not oversimplify the process.
• Consumer decision-making is very complex and is unlikely to be based on
either:
• pure reason
• cold, logical, and rational
or
• pure feelings
• passionate, spontaneous, irrational.
• Rational and hedonic models are not mutually exclusive.
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1. The consumer processing
model (CPM)
Stages 1 and 2
Exposure to information
• the fundamental task is to deliver the
message to consumers.
Selective attention
• actively listening and thinking about
the message
• conscious attention (deliberate
attention) versus automatic attention
(superficial attention).
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Stages 3 and 4
Comprehension (perception)
• creates meaning outside of stimuli and meanings
• results in interpretation of the message.
Agreement
• does the message provide agreement or dissonance?
• is the message credible, believable, trustworthy?
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Stages 5 and 6
Retention and retrieval
• Both processes involve memory.
• Information is received by sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose).
• Information is processed and stored in long-term memory (LTM).
• LTM is transferred to short-term memory (STM) for processing at a later
time (e.g. when making a purchase).
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Stage 7 & 8
Decision making Action
• Using information stored in • Consumer behaviour is not
memory, consumers often seek linear.
out the best brand. • Behaviour is not always
• Sometimes information is consistent with preferences.
conflicting; therefore consumers • Situational influences may
apply a decision heuristic, such as act as the disruptor in
the affect referral or reasoned choices.
compensatory heuristic.
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2. The hedonic, experiential model (HEM)
The greater the emotional involvement, the greater the
influence of experiential processes
• Product consumption results from the anticipation of having fun and
pleasurable feelings.
Examples include: performing arts, plastic arts, popular forms of entertainment, fashion apparel,
sporting events, leisure activities, recreational pursuits.
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Example of HEM oriented advertising
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CPM and HEM perspectives
• Verbal stimuli and rational arguments are most appropriate in CPM
oriented marketing communications.
• Non-verbal content or emotionally provocative words are most
appropriate for HEM oriented marketing communications.
• However, CPM and HEM are not mutually exclusive as such.
Finally, it is important to remember that no single marketing communications approach,
whether based on CPM or HEM processing, is effective in all instances.
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CPM and HEM perspectives
Verbal stimuli and rational Non-verbal content or emotionally
arguments are most appropriate in provocative words are most
CPM oriented marketing appropriate for HEM oriented
communications. marketing communications.
However, CPM and HEM are not mutually exclusive as such.
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