The AdvertisingThe AdvertisingMessageMessage

Asia-Pacific Marketing Asia-Pacific Marketing FederationFederation

Certified Professional MarketerCertified Professional MarketerCopyright byCopyright by

Marketing Institute of SingaporeMarketing Institute of Singapore

OrganizationOrganization

1. Message Determinants1. Message Determinants2. Advertising Strategies2. Advertising Strategies3. Comparative Advertising3. Comparative Advertising4. Resisting Competitors’ Persuasion4. Resisting Competitors’ Persuasion

The BriefThe BriefFactors in message developmentFactors in message development

In developing a message, consider the 3 C’s:In developing a message, consider the 3 C’s:

(a) (a) CCustomer -- Target audienceustomer -- Target audience(b) (b) CCompany -- Productompany -- Product(c) (c) CCompetitive Positioningompetitive Positioning

Customer -- Target AudienceCustomer -- Target AudienceKnow their:Know their:

Demographic CharacteristicsDemographic Characteristics (e.g., age, sex) (e.g., age, sex) audience physical profileaudience physical profile

Psychographic CharacteristicsPsychographic Characteristics (e.g., activities, (e.g., activities, interests, opinions)interests, opinions)

how they live and reasons for their behaviorhow they live and reasons for their behavior Decision ProcessDecision Process

opportunities available to influence product opportunities available to influence product choicechoice

Nike in AsiaNike in Asia (1/2) (1/2)

Found that Asian kids are less sporty Found that Asian kids are less sporty than American kidsthan American kids

Instead, Asian kids preferred studying Instead, Asian kids preferred studying & shopping& shopping

Nike in AsiaNike in Asia (2/2)(2/2)

““I Dream” ad campaignI Dream” ad campaign Features shots of young Asians Features shots of young Asians

playing sports intercut with images of playing sports intercut with images of some of world’s top athletessome of world’s top athletes

Images linked with emotional calls to Images linked with emotional calls to actionaction– ““I dream of excellence”I dream of excellence”– ““I dream of freedom”I dream of freedom”– ““I dream of not being a doctor”I dream of not being a doctor”

Company -- ProductCompany -- Product(a) (a) Distinctiveness of AttributesDistinctiveness of Attributes If not distinctive If not distinctive audience not interested in audience not interested in

product info product info message should not stress on message should not stress on attributesattributes

(b) Product Involvement(b) Product Involvement If high involvement, product info critical If high involvement, product info critical

stress on product attributes.stress on product attributes.

Advertiser must know:Advertiser must know:

(a) what the impt attributes are(a) what the impt attributes are(b) what the product can and cannot do(b) what the product can and cannot do(c) how to tie in with benefits(c) how to tie in with benefits

If low involvement, product info not critical If low involvement, product info not critical

stress on mood & have repeated exposuresstress on mood & have repeated exposures

Mood in ad Mood in ad Generate interest in ad itself Generate interest in ad itself liking of ad transferred to liking of brand thro’ liking of ad transferred to liking of brand thro’ repeated exposurerepeated exposure

CompetitionCompetition If intense competition, greater need for If intense competition, greater need for

distinctive imagedistinctive image

Distinctive image Distinctive image Share of consumer’s Share of consumer’s mind mind When choice arises, advertised When choice arises, advertised brand is evokedbrand is evoked

Product PositioningProduct Positioning

The art and science of fitting the product or The art and science of fitting the product or service to one or more segments of the broad service to one or more segments of the broad market in such a way as to set it market in such a way as to set it meaningfullymeaningfully apart from competition apart from competition

Positioning StrategiesPositioning Strategies

1.1. AttributeAttribute– Set apart by attribute or benefit offeredSet apart by attribute or benefit offered

2. 2. ImageImage– Similarity among brandsSimilarity among brands

3.3. Use or applicationUse or application– Dominate some aspect of usageDominate some aspect of usage

4.4. Product userProduct user– e.g., Johnson & Johnson shampoo repositioned e.g., Johnson & Johnson shampoo repositioned

toward adultstoward adults

5.5.Product Class Product Class – Against another product class rather than Against another product class rather than

another brandanother brand– e.g., Epismile vs Colgatee.g., Epismile vs Colgate

6.6.CompetitorCompetitor

1. 1. InformativeInformative Audience receives factual product info Audience receives factual product info No arguments; no evaluationNo arguments; no evaluation Suitable when:Suitable when:

(a) audience actively seeks info(a) audience actively seeks info(b) easy to assess the facts(b) easy to assess the facts(c) judgment is favorable to advertiser(c) judgment is favorable to advertiser(d) no significant competition(d) no significant competition

Advertising StrategiesAdvertising Strategies

2. 2. ArgumentativeArgumentative Presents facts and evaluation Presents facts and evaluation

Suitable when:Suitable when:

(a) there is a differentiated product (a) there is a differentiated product benefitbenefit

(b) benefits of features not obvious(b) benefits of features not obvious

(c) high-involvement decisions(c) high-involvement decisions

3. 3. Psychological AppealPsychological Appeal

Enhances product appeal thro’ emotionsEnhances product appeal thro’ emotions

Primary emphasis: EmotionsPrimary emphasis: Emotions

Secondary Emphasis: Product Secondary Emphasis: Product Attributes/BenefitsAttributes/Benefits

Humor AppealHumor AppealPositive mood Positive mood draws attention draws attention product is product is

usedused

But, . . . . . . But, . . . . . . (a) (a) Not sufficient to merely attract attentionNot sufficient to merely attract attention(b) (b) Repetition reduces ability to hold attentionRepetition reduces ability to hold attention(c) (c) Humour is subjectiveHumour is subjective

Humor in AsiaHumor in Asia Asians laugh at their stereotypesAsians laugh at their stereotypes English not first languageEnglish not first language Wrong words usedWrong words used

– Used car adUsed car ad ““Special Offer. ‘94 Honda Big Blue Convertible. Special Offer. ‘94 Honda Big Blue Convertible.

Asking price: $78K. Owner living.”Asking price: $78K. Owner living.”

Fear AppealFear Appeal Negative consequences of not using product Negative consequences of not using product

product is usedproduct is used

Threat, with implications of dangerThreat, with implications of danger

Curvilinear relationship between fear and Curvilinear relationship between fear and persuasion (see next figure)persuasion (see next figure)

Relationship between fear levels and message acceptance

Facilitating effects

Resultant nonmonotoniccurve

Inhibiting effects

Acceptanceof messagerecommendation

HighLevel of fear

Conditions for effective fear appeals:Conditions for effective fear appeals:

(a) Appeals are quite strong(a) Appeals are quite strong

(b) Audience believes negative consequences (b) Audience believes negative consequences are likely to occurare likely to occur

(c) Audience believes using product will avoid (c) Audience believes using product will avoid the negative consequences (coping behavior to the negative consequences (coping behavior to remove threat)remove threat)

Sexual AppealSexual AppealGains attention Gains attention brand name recall? brand name recall?

(a) (a) Nature of productNature of product– If product is not related to sex, brand name recall If product is not related to sex, brand name recall

higher when illustration is non-sexual than sexualhigher when illustration is non-sexual than sexual

(b) (b) Attitude toward sexual illustrationsAttitude toward sexual illustrations– Audience with fav. attitude recall brand name Audience with fav. attitude recall brand name

more than those with unfavorable attitudemore than those with unfavorable attitude

(c) (c) Gender of audienceGender of audience– Men have more difficulty in recalling brand namesMen have more difficulty in recalling brand names

Sexual Advertising in AsiaSexual Advertising in Asia

Conservative societyConservative society Sexual ads not well receivedSexual ads not well received Ad rules vary by countryAd rules vary by country Difficulty in using campaign throughout Difficulty in using campaign throughout

regionregion

ChinaChina No well-defined guidelinesNo well-defined guidelines No superstition, no elements contrary to No superstition, no elements contrary to

traditional Chinese custom or liable to traditional Chinese custom or liable to affect stability of societyaffect stability of society

Hong KongHong Kong Regular updates to Code of Practices to Regular updates to Code of Practices to

keep up with changing valueskeep up with changing values

Liberal, creativity not restrictedLiberal, creativity not restricted

IndonesiaIndonesia Advertising codes prohibits use of obscenity Advertising codes prohibits use of obscenity

and kissing scenes in locally produced adsand kissing scenes in locally produced ads Ad can be sexual as long as it does not show Ad can be sexual as long as it does not show

sexual scenessexual scenes

PhilippinesPhilippines Catholic countryCatholic country Sexual imagery extensively usedSexual imagery extensively used Govt believes in self regulationGovt believes in self regulation

ThailandThailand Strict censorship rulesStrict censorship rules Kissing & romantic display of affection Kissing & romantic display of affection

not allowed in adsnot allowed in ads

4. 4. Repeat AssertionRepeat Assertion Hard-sell approachHard-sell approach Same simple message repeated several times in Same simple message repeated several times in

words, graphics, or soundwords, graphics, or sound

Assumes:Assumes:(a) audience have no intrinsic interest in message(a) audience have no intrinsic interest in message(b) positive relationship between repetition and (b) positive relationship between repetition and

message acceptancemessage acceptance

5. 5. CommandCommand Orders audience to do somethingOrders audience to do something Suitable when directed behavior is intuitively appealing Suitable when directed behavior is intuitively appealing

and acceptableand acceptable

6. 6. Symbolic AssociationSymbolic Association Product is linked to a person, music, a word, an Product is linked to a person, music, a word, an

illustration, etc.illustration, etc. Trigger ideas thro’ symbolsTrigger ideas thro’ symbols Link between product and symbol must existLink between product and symbol must exist

7. 7. Imitation ApproachImitation Approach Audience imitate people in the ad Audience imitate people in the ad Suitable when there is social influenceSuitable when there is social influence Indirectly informs audience what appropriate Indirectly informs audience what appropriate

behavior isbehavior is

Two or more brands of the same product class Two or more brands of the same product class are comparedare compared

Direct or indirect comparisonsDirect or indirect comparisons

Compare on a specific attribute quality or Compare on a specific attribute quality or overall qualityoverall quality

Comparative AdvertisingComparative Advertising

Effects ofEffects ofComparative AdvertisingComparative Advertising

Increases awareness of competitorsIncreases awareness of competitors Increases misidentificationIncreases misidentification Less credibleLess credible Decreases message acceptanceDecreases message acceptance Encourages information processingEncourages information processing Increases similarity between brandsIncreases similarity between brands Increases purchase intention for low-share Increases purchase intention for low-share

brandsbrands

Effectiveness ofEffectiveness ofVarious Appeals in AsiaVarious Appeals in Asia

Reasoned PsychReasoned Psych Symbolic Symbolic InformativenessInformativeness

argumentargument appealsappeals associationassociation VisualVisualSoundSound

TaiwanTaiwan

KoreaKorea

JapanJapan

Hong KongHong Kong

IndiaIndia Drama-LectureDrama-Lecture

Message StructureMessage Structure Order of PresentationOrder of Presentation

– Placement of informationPlacement of information– Primacy Effect: Info learnt first will be Primacy Effect: Info learnt first will be

remembered betterremembered better– Recency Effect: Info learnt last will be Recency Effect: Info learnt last will be

remembered betterremembered better– Thus, place strong points at beginning and Thus, place strong points at beginning and

end of adend of ad

Conclusion DrawingConclusion Drawing

– Should message explicitly draw a firm Should message explicitly draw a firm conclusion or let audience draw their own conclusion or let audience draw their own conclusion?conclusion?

– Explicit conclusionExplicit conclusion -- more easily understood; -- more easily understood; enhances attitudeenhances attitude

– Effectiveness depends on:Effectiveness depends on: Education of target audienceEducation of target audience Complexity of issue/topicComplexity of issue/topic Immediate action or L/T effect?Immediate action or L/T effect?

Benefits of non-conclusion drawingBenefits of non-conclusion drawing

– Reinforces messageReinforces message

– More memorableMore memorable

Two-sided adsTwo-sided ads Good and bad points are presentedGood and bad points are presented Highlight impt attributes strong in and not-so-impt Highlight impt attributes strong in and not-so-impt

attributes weak inattributes weak in More credible & informativeMore credible & informative

Most effective when:Most effective when:(a)(a) Audience is intelligentAudience is intelligent(b)(b) Initial opinion on the issue is negativeInitial opinion on the issue is negative

Resisting Competitors’ Resisting Competitors’ PersuasionPersuasion