3

Communication Response Models

Chapter Objectives
To understand the basic elements of the
communication process and the role of
communication in marketing.
To examine various communication response
models.
To analyze the response processes of receivers
of marketing communications, including
alternative response hierarchies and their
implications for promotional planning and
strategy.
To examine the nature of consumers cognitive
processing of marketing communications.
To summarize an integrative communication
response model from a theoretical and
managerial perspective.
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The Communications Process

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Source
Sender or source of communication is
the person or organization that has
information to share.
A source can be:
An individual
A nonpersonal entity

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Message
Contains the information or meaning
the source hopes to convey.
Verbal or nonverbal
Written, oral, or symbolic

Developed as a result of the encoding

process.
Encoding involves putting thoughts,
ideas, or information into symbolic form.

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There are many forms of encoding

Encoding
Encoding

Verbal
Verbal
Spoken
Spoken
Word
Word
Written
Written
Word
Word

Graphic
Graphic
Pictures
Pictures
Drawings
Drawings
Charts
Charts

Song
Song
Lyrics
Lyrics
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Musical
Musical

Animation
Animation

ArrangeArrangement
ment

Action/
Action/
Motion
Motion

InstrumInstrumentation
entation

Pace/
Pace/
Speed
Speed

Voices
Voices

Shape/
Shape/
Form
Form

Semiotics
The study of the nature of meaning,
asking how our reality words,
gestures, myths, signs, symbols,
products/services, theories acquire
meaning.
Advertising and marketing researchers
are interested in semiotics to better
understand the symbolic meaning which
might be conveyed in a communication.

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The Semiotic Perspective

Three Components to every marketing message
Object
Object
Brand
Brand such
such as
as
Marlboro
Marlboro

Interpretant/
Interpretant/
intended
intended meaning
meaning
(masculine,rugged
(masculine,rugged
individualistic)
individualistic)

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Sign
Sign or
or symbol
symbol
representing
representing
intended
intended
meaning
meaning
(Cowboy)
(Cowboy)

What is the symbolic meaning of the Snuggle

bear?

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Images encoded in pictures powerfully

convey emotions

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Channel
The method by which the
communication travels from the source
or sender to the receiver.

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Channels of Communication

Personal
Personal
Channels
Channels

Personal
Selling

Word of
Mouth
Print
Media

Nonpersonal
Nonpersonal
Channels
Channels

Broadcast
Media
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Receiver
The person or people with whom the
sender shares thoughts or information.
Generally consumers in the target
market or audience.

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Levels of Audience Aggregation

Figure 3-2

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Marketing to Different Audience Groups

Mass Markets Mass Communication
Market Segments Variety of
relevant media
Niche
Niche Markets
Markets
Personal
Personal
selling or highly
targeted media
Small
Small Groups
Groups
One
One
message and
medium
Individuals
Personal
selling
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Decoding
Transforming the senders message
back into thought.
Heavily influenced by receivers frame
of reference or field of experience.
Effective communication more likely
when parties share some common
ground.

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Noise
Unplanned distortion or interference.
Examples include:
Errors or problems during messages
encoding
Distortion in radio or television signal
Distractions at the point of reception

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Response vs. Feedback

Response
Receivers set of reactions after seeing,
hearing, or reading the message.
Feedback is the part of the response
communicated back to the sender.
Closes the loop in the communications
flow and lets sender monitor how
encoded message is being decoded and
received.

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Models of the Response Process

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1. AIDA Model
Developed to represent the stages
through which a salesperson must take
a customer in the personal selling
process.
Buyer is depicted as passing through
Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action
stages.
Action stage involves closing the sale,
which is the most difficult stage, but
most important to the marketer.

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2. Hierarchy of Effects Model

Paradigm for setting and measuring
advertising objectives.
Shows the process by which advertising
works, and that advertisings effects
occur over a period of time.
Consumer passes through a series of
steps in sequential order, from initial
awareness of product or service to
actual purchase.

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3. Innovation Adoption Model

Represents the stages a consumer
passes through in adopting a new
product or service.
Potential adopters must be moved
through a series of steps before
deciding to adopt a new product.

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4. Information Processing Model

Assumes that the receiver in a
persuasive communication situation is
an information processor or problem
solver.
Steps of being persuaded constitute a
response hierarchy.
Steps are similar to the Hierarchy of
Effects sequence.

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Traditional Hierarchy Models are useful

because:
They outline the series of steps potential
purchasers must take to move from
unawareness of a product or service to
readiness to purchase.
Potential buyers can be identified as present
at different stages in the hierarchy.
Advertiser can identify different
communication problems based on each stage
of the hierarchy.
They can be used as intermediate measures
of communication effectiveness to guide
future communication decisions.
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Alternative Response Hierarchies

Topical Involvement
High
Low

High
Low

Perceived product
differentiation

Cognitive

Conative
Affective
Cognitive

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Conative

Cognitive
Affective
Conative
Dissonance/
Attribution Model

Low Involvement
Model

Affective

Learning Model

Computers are high-involvement, highly

differentiated products.

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Clever ads encourage low involvement

learning

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Alternative Response Hierarchies

Figure 3-5

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Implications of Alternative Response Models

Analyze:
Analyze:
Communication
Communication situation
situation for
for their
their product
product or
or
service
service
Involvement
Involvement levels
levels and
and product/service
product/service
differentiation
differentiation
Consumers
Consumers use
use of
of information
information sources
sources and
and levels
levels
of
of experience
experience with
with product
product or
or service
service

Likely
Likely response
response
sequence
sequence
IMC
IMC program
program
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The Cognitive Response Approach

Figure 3-7

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Cognitive Response Categories

Product/Message
Product/Message Thoughts
Thoughts
Counter
Counter Arguments
Arguments

Support
Support Arguments
Arguments

Source-Oriented
Source-Oriented Thoughts
Thoughts
Source
Source Derogation
Derogation

Source
Source Bolstering
Bolstering

AdExecution
AdExecution Thoughts
Thoughts
Thoughts
Thoughts About
About
the
the Ad
Ad Itself
Itself
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Affect
Affect Attitude
Attitude
Toward
Toward the
the Ad
Ad

Product/Message Thoughts
Product/Message
Product/Message Thoughts
Thoughts
Counter
Counter Arguments
Arguments

Support
Support Arguments
Arguments

Recipient
Recipient thoughts
thoughts
opposing
opposing message
message
of
of ad.
ad.

Recipient
Recipient thoughts
thoughts
affirming
affirming message
message
of
of ad.
ad.

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Source-Oriented Thoughts
Source-Oriented
Source-Oriented Thoughts
Thoughts
Source
Source Derogation
Derogation

Source
Source Bolstering
Bolstering

Negative
Negative thoughts
thoughts
about
about
spokesperson
spokesperson or
or
organization
organization
making
making the
the claims.
claims.

Positive
Positive reactions
reactions
to
to spokesperson
spokesperson or
or
organization
organization
making
making the
the claims.
claims.

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Ad-Execution Thoughts
Ad-Execution
Ad-Execution Thoughts
Thoughts
Thoughts
Thoughts About
About
the
the Ad
Ad Itself
Itself

??

Affect
Affect Attitude
Attitude
Toward
Toward the
the Ad
Ad

??

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Elaboration Likelihood Model

Focuses
Focuses on
on the
the way
way consumers
consumers respond
respond to
to persuasive
persuasive
messages
messages based
based on
on the
the amount
amount and
and nature
nature of
of
elaboration
elaboration or
or processing
processing of
of information
information
Routes to attitude change
Central
Central route
route to
to
persuasion
persuasion
High
High ability
ability and
and
motivation
motivation to
to
process
process aa message
message
Close
Close attention
attention is
is
paid
paid to
to message
message
content
content
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Peripheral
Peripheral route
route
to
to persuasion
persuasion
Low
Low ability
ability and
and
motivation
motivation to
to
process
process aa message
message
Receiver
Receiver focuses
focuses
more
more on
on peripheral
peripheral
cues
cues rather
rather than
than
message
message content
content

Celebrity endorsers can be peripheral cues

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Implications of the ELM

Level of involvement of consumers in
target audience:
HIGH an ad or sales presentation
should contain strong arguments that
are difficult for the recipient to refute or
counterargue.
LOW peripheral cues may be more
important than detailed message
arguments.

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Theoretical Approach to Understanding How

Consumers Respond to Advertising
A framework for studying how advertising works.
Advertising
Advertising Input
Input
Message
Message content,
content, media
media
scheduling,
scheduling, repetition
repetition
Filters
Filters
Motivation,
Motivation, ability,
ability,
(involvement)
(involvement)
Consumer
Consumer
Cognition,
Cognition, Affect,
Affect,
Experience
Experience
Consumer
Consumer Behaviour
Behaviour
Choice,
Choice, consumption,
consumption,
loyalty,
loyalty, habit,
habit, etc.
etc.
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Managerial Approach to Understanding How

Consumers Respond to Advertising
Processing and Communication Effects
Figure 3-10

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