Communication theory Resit 2.2
summary
Week 1 communicati on theory readings + lectures
Influencing the public/influencing behaviour
Four strategies for influencing (CASI)
CASI = Communication Activation Strategy Instruments
1. respond to emotions and associations
2. social influencing
3. Facilitate and reinforce behaviour
4. Motivate
Respond to emotions and associations:
Aims on responding to associations and emotions that play a role in desired behaviour.
With this strategy you can :
Evoke emotions
Respond to existing emotions: replace negative emotions with positive emotions
Create new associations through behaviour
Empower existing associations
Social influencing:
You use the social environment to stimulate people to change behaviour
Use the social environment to communicate
Communicate social norms
Start the conversation
Facilitate and reinforce behaviour:
You show the TG the desired behaviour and reinforce this desired behaviour.
Offer services to support people showing the desired behaviour
Communicate direct and clear instructions to support the desired behaviour
Motivate:
Enlarging someone’s internal motivation to change your behaviour
Communicate about advantages, disadvantages and risks
Focus communication on attitude and identity: respond to values, opinions and the image
people have of themselves
Marketing
Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and
distribution of ideas, goods and services to make and exchange value and satisfy the organisational
and individuals objectives.
Marketing mix
The marketing mix consists of Product, Price, Promotion, Place.
Product has three layers:
1. The core product: the unique benefit that’s marketed
2. Tangible product: product features, level of quality, design and packaging; everything by
which a core benefit can be made tangible
, 3. Augmented product: the ‘service layer’ on top of the tangible product. It includes delivery,
installation service, after-sale service & management of complaints
Price: this marketing mix instrument itself doesn’t cost anything. But it provides the resources to
spend on things such as production and marketing.
List price is the official price of a product.
Place: where you bring in the customer. This also includes transport, retailers and inventory. It’s also
the relationship between the company and the distribution channel.
Promotion: all the things the company uses to communicate with the target group and stakeholders
to promote the products or company.
Communications mix
- Advertising: non-personal mass communications using mass media
- Public relations : all of the communications a company instigates with its audience or
stakeholders
- Sponsorship: sponsor is providing funds, goods and services in exchange for e.g. brand
awareness.
- Brand activation: integration of all available communication means in a creative platform
and creating interest to generate new customers and customer loyalty and creating a brand
experience.
- Direct marketing: personal and direct way to communicate with customers. E.g. emails,
direct response advertising
- Point of purchase: communications at the point of purchase. E.g. store display / layout,
article presentation
- Exhibitions and trade fairs: b2b and industrial markets, it’s very important for contacting
prospects, users and purchasers.
- Personal selling: direct message to certain known and individually addressed person.
- Online communication: communicate interactively with customers and stakeholders through
online platforms.
Integration of marketing communication (IMC)
The process of homogeneous communication messages which are controlled and influenced. And
start from the point of view of the target group that is aimed at changing behaviour.
It focusses on how the customer sees everything. Integrated Marketing Communications is used to
evaluate marketing objectives and combines these evaluations to create clarity, consistency and
maximum communications impact.
Consistency and synergy are important when implementing IMC. The marketing instruments
(marketing mix) need to be marketed in such a way that the company’s offerings are consistently
marketed.
Instruments also need to work in the same direction, not conflicting each other.
IMC across cultures
IMC in an international environment differs from normal IMC. Cultural and legal differences between
a company and its foreign market can cause many problems.
Due to the differences in the international market a company has to ask the major question:
, To what extent should it localise (adapt) or globalise (standardise or integrate) its marketing
communications differently.
Consumers grow up in a certain culture and are used to that culture’s values and beliefs, and will
respond differently to marketing communications than another culture.
In order for the marketing communications in a foreign culture to succeed, marketing managers need
to avoid self-criterion. It refers to our unconscious tendency to refer everything to our own cultural
values.
Standardisation or Adaptation
A standardised campaign can be defined as a campaign that is run in different countries using the
same concept, setting, theme, appeal and message. (with the exception of translations).
Adaptation campaign: is a local approach (localisation or adaptation) which implies that elements of
the communications strategy are adapted to local circumstances.
Organisations will likely choose a global/standardised campaign as it costs less and creates one global
image of the brand across the world.
But it’s shown that a local/adaptation campaign is more effective as preferences and likings differ
between cultures and countries.
Glocalisation is the best way of approaching international markets, opting for a ‘global commitment
to a local vision. Think Global, act Local.
If the brand positioning is done well, it can be used in multiple countries and the creative idea needs
to be looked at through the local perspective.
Factors leading to integrated marketing and corporate
communications
Corporate communications is the total integrated approach to the communications activity
generated by all functioning departments of a company. It targets the companies stakeholders, and
aims at creating and maintaining a link between strategic objectives, corporate identity and the
corporate image.
The evolution of companies switching to IMC is caused by a number of important barriers to
integration, such as: functional specialisation in companies, existing structures, the lack of internal
communications and the perceived complexity of planning and the co-ordination.
Branding
A brand is defined as a name, term, sign , symbol or design, or a combination of these intended to
identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers. And to differentiate yourself from
those of your competitor.
A brand mark is the element of a brand that cannot be spoken: a symbol, design, or specific
packaging.
A brand from the customers point of view: a collection of meaningful and valuable cognitive and
affective associations.
Intrinsic and extrinsic brand associations
Intrinsic (brand skill) : functional part of a brand, its shape, taste, performance or price
