Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, Message and channel factors
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
What is communication?
- passing of information
- exchange of ideas
- process of establishing a commonness of thought
The function of all elements of the IMC program is to communicate.
Some of the ways are through advertisements, brand names, logos,
graphics, websites, press releases, package designs, promotions, visual
images etc.
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
A model of the communication process
Sender’s
Field of
experience
Encoding
Channel
Message
Decoding
Receiver
Response
Feedback
Source /
Sender
Receiver’s
Field of
experience
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Source Encoding
The sender or source of a communication is the person/organization that
has information to share with another person/group of people.
The process of putting thoughts, ideas or information into a symbolic
form by the use of words, symbols, pictures etc. is called encoding.
The goal is to encode in such a way that will be understood by the
audience.
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Sharapova
Yao Ming
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Source Credibility
Ethical
Knowledgeable
Skillful
Trustworthy
Source
Believable
Experienced
Unbiased
Honest
Source Attractiveness
Similarity
Resemblance
between the
source and
recipient of the
message
Familiarity
Knowledge of the
source through
repeated or
prolonged
exposure
Likeability
Affection for the
source resulting
from physical
appearance,
behavior, or
personal traits
Source Power
Perceived
control
Perceived
concern
Compliance
Perceived
scrutiny
Sources
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Advertising Risks of Using Celebrities
The celebrity may overshadow
the product being endorsed
The celebrity may be overexposed,
reducing his or her credibility
The target audience may not be
receptive to celebrity endorsers
The celebrity’s behavior may pose
a risk to the company
Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Message
Message can be verbal / nonverbal, oral / written or symbollic
Semiotics – nature of meaning of words, gestures, signs, symbols etc.
Marketers must consider the meanings consumers attach to the various
signs and symbols.
The message should be appropriate for the channel of communication
being used.
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Forms of Encoding
Verbal
• Spoken
Word
• Written
Word
• Song
Lyrics
Graphic
• Pictures
• Drawings
• Charts
Musical
Animation
• Arrangement
• Action/
Motion
• Instrumentation
• Pace/
Speed
• Voices
• Shape/
Form
Message Sidedness
One Sideness
Two Sideness
Verbal vs. Visual Messages
Message Appeal Choices
Appeal to the logical,
rational minds of
consumers
Appeal to both
Appeal to the feelings and
emotions of consumers
Message Appeal Options
Comparative
Ads
• Especially useful
for new brands
• Often used for
brands with small
market share
Fear
Appeals
• May stress
physical danger or
threats to health
• May identify
social threats
• Used often in
• Can backfire if
political
advertising
level of threat
is too high
Humor
Appeals
• Can attract and
hold attention
• Often the best
remembered
• Put consumers in
a positive mood
Pros
Humor Appeals
Cons
Aids attention and awareness
Does not aid persuasion in
general
May aid retention of the
message
May harm recall and
comprehension
Creates a positive mood and
enhances persuasion
May harm complex copy
registration
May aid name and simple
copy registration
Does not aid source credibility
May serve as a distracter,
reducing counterarguing
Is not effective in bringing
about sales
May wear out faster than nonhumorous ads
Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Channel
Channel is the method by which the communication travels from the
source or sender to the receiver.
It can be broadly classified as:
Personal Channels – face to face contact with people
eg. Salespersons, word-of-mouth
Nonpersonal Channels – no interpersonal contact
eg. Mass media (print and broadcast)
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Communication Channel
Personal
Channels
Word of Mouth
Nonpersonal Channels
Personal
Selling
Print
Media
Broadcast
Media
Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Receiver/Decoding
It is the process of transforming the sender’s message back into thought
and this process is heavily influenced by the receiver’s frame of
reference or ‘field of experience’
For effective decoding, there should be some ‘common ground’
(overlapping region) between the sender and the receiver
Dilemma:
Ad agency people
Consumers
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– urban, well educated,
– rural, blue collared jobs
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Noise
The message is subject to extraneous factor that can distort or interfere
with its reception.
It means unplanned interference or distortion.
Eg. Signal distortion in TV or radio
Lack of common ground in the fields of experience of sender and
receiver also results in noise.
Eg. A symbol used by the sender which is unfamiliar to the receiver.
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Response/Feedback
A receiver’s set of reactions after seeing, hearing or reading the
message is known as a response.
Response can range from non-observable actions (storing in memory) to
immediate action (calling a toll-free number)
Feedback is important to marketers. They take it through
sales
customer inquiries
store visits
reply cards
research based feedback
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Effective communication occurs when:
The marketer selects an appropriate source, develops an effective
message that is encoded properly and then selects the channels / media
that will best reach the target audience so that the message can be
effectively decoded and delivered.
The target audience should be clearly defined…
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Levels of target audience
Mass markets and audiences
Market Segments
Niche Markets
Individual &
Group
Audiences
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Communication Response Models
The most important aspect of developing effective communication
program is the understanding of response process of consumers.
A consumer may pass through several stages from not being aware
about the product / brand to the actual purchase. The response models
can be classified as:
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Communication Response Models
Traditional Response
Hierarchy Models
Alternative Response
Hierarchies
1. AIDA model
1. Standard learning hierarchy
2. Hierarchy of effects model
2. Dissonance/Attribution hierarchy
3. Innovation adoption model
3. Low involvement hierarchy
4. Information processing model
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
AIDA model – stages a salesperson must take a customer through in the
personal selling process
Stages
learn
feel
do
Cognitive
Stage
Affective
Stage
Behavioral
Stage
AIDA model
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Hierarchy of effects model – process by which advertising affects the
consumer response. Series of steps from initial awareness to purchase.
Stages
learn
Cognitive
Stage
Hierarchy of
effects model
Awareness
Knowledge
Liking
feel
Affective
Stage
Preference
Conviction
do
Behavioral
Stage
Purchase
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Innovation adoption model stages a consumer passes through in adopting a
new product or service. After trial, the consumer either adopts or rejects the
product
Stages
learn
Cognitive
Stage
feel
Affective
Stage
do
Behavioral
Stage
Innovation
adaption model
Awareness
Interest
Evaluation
Trial
Adoption
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Information processing model – It says that the receiver of persuasive
communication is a processor of information
Stages
learn
feel
do
Cognitive
Stage
Information
processing model
Presentation
Attention
Comprehension
Yielding
Affective
Stage
Retention
Behavioral
Stage
Behavior
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Standard learning hierarchy
Consumer involvement in purchase
Perceived product differentiation
Learn
(cognitive)
Feel
(affective)
- HIGH
- HIGH
Do
(conative)
Eg. Buying high-involvement products like industrial products,
computers, cars etc.
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Dissonance/Attribution theory
Consumer involvement in purchase
Perceived product differentiation
Do
(conative)
Feel
(affective)
- HIGH
- LOW
Learn
(cognitive)
Consumer may buy the product on recommendation from a nonmedia
source and then attempt to support the decision by developing a positive
attitude or even a negative attitude towards other brands.
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Low-involvement Hierarchy
Consumer involvement in purchase
Perceived product differentiation
Learn
(cognitive)
Do
(conative)
- LOW
- LOW
Feel
(affective)
Consumer engages in passive learning and random information catching
rather than active information seeking.
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Consumer Involvement
Involvement is a variable that can help explain how consumers process
advertising information and how this information might affect the
message recipients.
Advertising managers must be able to determine targeted consumers’
involvement levels with their products.
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB) grid
Antecedents of
Involvement
Person Factors
-Needs
-Importance
-Interest
-Values
Object or stimulus
Factors
-Differentiation of
Alternatives
-Source of
Communication
-Content of
communication
Situational Factors
-Purchase / use
-Occasion
Possible results
Of involvement
Involvement
Counter arguments
To ads
Effectiveness of ad
To induce purchase
With advertisements
With products
Relative importance
Of product class
Perceived differences
In product attributes
Preference of brand
With purchase decisions
Influence of price on
Brand choice
Time spent choosing
Alternatives
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Amount of information
search
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Integrated Marketing Communications
Module 2: Understanding communication process
Concept 1: Source, message and channel factors
Elaboration Likelihood Model
:- Central route to Persuasion
receiver is very active, involved participant in the
communication and attend, comprehend and evaluate with
interest.
:- Peripheral Route to Persuasion
Rather than evaluating the information presented in the
message, the receiver relies on peripheral cues such celebrity,
music, theme song, jingles, visual imagery
These cues can lead to the acceptance or rejection of the
message.