Advertising Management

Persuasive
Communications

How advertising works

Advertising, of course, sells. Advertisements inform, persuade, remind, influence, change opinions; they may even alter attitudes and feelings. Advertising changes society, makes people buy things they do not want, enables multinational capitalist monolopolies to batten on the working classes. Well, doesnt it? (White 2000, p. 42)

Advertising Management Seminar 2: Persuasive Communications

Does advertising force people to buy what they dont want?

Have you ever seen or heard an ad and then bought something against your will? Has an ad ever threatened you or your family with the dire consequences of not buying the product (or service) it is advertising? Has an ad made you feel that your life is incomplete without the possession of the product (or service) it is advertising? Has an ad ever advertised something that you have bought that does not fulfill its promise/ your expectations? Has an ad persuaded you buy something you really do not need or cannot afford?

Advertising Management Seminar 2: Persuasive Communications

Effective advertising communication is not simple!

Effective advertising capitalises on peoples needs, their emotions, their cultural backgrounds (for instance); to persuade them to take an action, change a behaviour or attitude or make a decision via the provision of:
Information Support and confirmation Entertainment and Capturing their attention

Advertising Management Seminar 2: Persuasive Communications

Theories of Persuasion
Theories are changing constantly; White (2000) outlines a number of these (Chapter 4) but these are rarely used in the daily operation of ad agencies and advertising departments during the actual creation of advertising rather, their methods are more pragmatic, e.g.:
Identify a consumer need and fill it Identify a consumer fear and resolve it Identify a consumer emotion and exploit it Reinforce a consumers attitude by agreeing with it/ reinforcing it Pander to a consumers ego by stroking it Save the consumer money/ time/ effort Make the consumer laugh, feel good Make the consumer feel bad/ sad/ guilty and then give them a way to feel better And many more

Advertising Management Seminar 2: Persuasive Communications

Understanding why people choose one product over another

There are a number of interconnecting factors that influence why a person chooses one product (or service) over another; this differs with the product category as well as social and cultural influences at play. Some of the factors that people take into their decision-making are:
Image: reflects their own tastes and aspirations Personality: appeals and reflects their own or that which they aspire to Convenience: easy to find/ purchase/ use Service: value for money and confidence Uniqueness: something they cant get elsewhere Price/ value: the best price or the best value for your dollar

Advertising Management Seminar 2: Persuasive Communications

What do we want our ads to do?

Effective advertising should seek to: CONVINCE (target audience) THAT (desired outcome after advertising exposure) BECAUSE (advertising proposition)
When this is achieved, the advertising is said to be effective and persuasive Lets run through some some ads and assess their persuasion

Advertising Management Seminar 2: Persuasive Communications

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Tools for persuasive advertising

(Reference: Reading 14 Sutherland)

Develop a unique and consistent style; avoid being the same as the category, become recognisable for the brands style, own it Style is :
Look of the communications Sound of the communications Words used Logo

Style triggers memory (recall) the more often it is used

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Identity
Own a style of presenting the brand Maintain it consistently and only change when it no longer works (not when the advertiser is tired of it) Copyright and trademark identity elements Be on the look out for competitors who copy the identity

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Nike

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Nike

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Nike

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Anglican Church

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Anglican Church

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Anglican Church

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Slogans
The objective is for the slogan (or tag line, or end line or sign off) to immediately conjure up an association with the brand
Where do you want to go today (Microsoft) Just do it (Nike) Think different (Apple) The taste of a new generation (Pepsi) Absolutely, positively has to be there overnight (DHL) Any others?

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Symbols
Logos, brands, trademarks mostly mean the same thing Almost every brand and organisation has one of these and they are used to encapsulate the brands essence These are often changed or updated as time the market changes: decisions to change should be made with the benefit of market research and an understanding of the effects (positive and negative) of a change
Example of positive effects: contemporary, improved, change of philosophy Example of negative effects: loss of recognition, confusion, wrong messages

Ideally, brand symbols should be used every time the brand appears in the public arena, with consistent presentation and style

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Visual devices, actions & gestures

A repetitive visual cue which appears associated with the brand every time it appears in the public arena It may be part of the ad, a sign-off or the location or something that becomes consistent with the brand Examples are the Energizer Bunny, the Toyota jump, Chicken Tonights flapping wings

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Presenters and celebrity endorsements

Cosmetic companies use this a lot; picking one celebrity/ model to be the face of the brand for as long as possible These can be ordinary people too; who take on the persona of the brand This can also include a well-known voice, rather than showing the person The presenter does not necessarily have to be a living human either: they can be a fictional character, an animal, an alien as long as they are able to speak for the brand Using presenters is quite risky because:
The advertiser does not know what may happen to the presenter in the future (e.g.: poor behaviour, change of allegiance, illness or death) The brand becomes dependent on the presenter and this places the presenter in a powerful fee-negotiating position The presenter may become less popular or be perceived by the target audience in a less favorable way, over time (e.g.: uncool)

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Characters
Costumed actors or animated characters can also be used, with less risks than a live presenter The character can be trademarked and protected against misuse This only works in some categories (and not in others, like cosmetics) Animated or costumed characters can become enduring brand representatives, developing lives and personalities of their own

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Layout & format

This involves the consistent use of a layout style; the ads become instantly recognisable (even with the brand device masked) Strict adherence to the style must be monitored by the Advertising Manager; this can be difficult if the advertising creation is decentralised (e.g.: in different countries) This is becoming more popular with technological communication advances (e.g.: e-mail final ads to a central brand approval resource to check for consistency) Consistency to the corporate look may involve the entire ad layout/ style or simply the typography and colours and style of illustrations

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Sound
Music (jingles, soundtracks, anthems), unique noises (BOING!, ping), the voice-over can all be used as a means of branding an ad
The same person doing the voice-over in a distinctive style, year after year A well-known piece of musical arrangement used for every commercial in the brand portfolio A bell or whistle (or anything) that signifies to the target audience that the commercial is for the brand

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Seminar Exercise
Lets discuss the techniques of integrated constancy used in the following print advertisements

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Summary
Effective advertising communication is not simple! It requires a lot of research and conceptual thinking before it ever reaches the consumer Different people respond to different ads in different ways Effective advertising should seek to:
CONVINCE (target audience) THAT (desired outcome after advertising exposure) BECAUSE (advertising proposition)

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Summary
Integrated constancy is an effective technique for advertising. Seek to develop a consistent style in advertising for a brand
look, sound, words, logo

Even if you are not working in or with advertising at the moment, build your skills in the area by reviewing ads (as we have done here) to see who they are talking to, what they are trying to say and how they are saying it.

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Next Seminar
1. The role of Advertising Management 2. Persuasive Communications 3. Advertising Strategy 4. The Creative Process 5. Media Planning & Buying 6. Advertising Implementation 7. Advertising Evaluation 8. Advertising Ethics 9. The Future of Advertising 10. Assignments & Seminar Conclusion

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