PARALE, MARCHELLE IRISH S.

MBAOUS-1B

Enabling Task 6
Discussion Questions
1. What is a message strategy?

The message theme helps the advertising team derive a message strategy, or the primary
tactic or approach used to deliver the message theme. Simply put, message strategy is
the process of selecting what to say and how to say it to meet a specific business
objective. It's the process of transforming marketing into communications, and
communications into outcomes.

2. What are the important and wholly necessary components of a unique selling
proposition?

An explicit, testable claim of uniqueness or superiority that can be supported or

substantiated in some manner is a unique selling proposition. For example, the claim that
a restaurant food delivery service such as HelloFresh is the most convenient with the
fastest delivery times would be a unique selling proposition if the claim can be proven via
research. Noom.com suggests its weight-loss program is unique due to the incorporation
of a cognitive-behavioral approach, something not mentioned in ads for other weight loss
methods.

3. What is a pre-emptive message?

A claim of superiority based on a product’s specific attribute or benefit with the intent of
preventing the competition from making the same or a similar statement is a preemptive
message. Crest toothpaste’s reputation as “the cavity fighter” preempts other companies
from making similar claims, although all toothpaste products fight cavities. An effective
preemptive strategy occurs when the company states the advantage first. Competitors
saying the same thing become viewed as “me too” brands or copycats.

4. Describe an affective message strategy and identify the primary forms it can take in an
advertisement.

Advertisements that evoke feelings or emotions and match those feelings with the good,
service or company feature affective message strategies. These messages attempt to
enhance the likeability of the product, recall of the appeal, or comprehension of the
advertisement. Affective strategies should elicit emotions that lead the consumer to act,
preferably by buying the product and subsequently by affecting the consumer’s reasoning
process.
PARALE, MARCHELLE IRISH S.
MBAOUS-1B

-Primary Forms:

Resonance - connecting brand w/ consumer experiences to develop stronger ties

between product/consumer)

Emotional - elicit powerful emotions that lead to product recall/choice

5. What is hyperbole, and why should it be avoided?

An untestable claim based on some attribute or benefit is hyperbole. If ABC states that it
has America’s favorite dramas, the claim is hyperbole. It does not require substantiation,
which makes this cognitive strategy quite popular. Hyperbole often employs puffery terms,
including finest, best, or greatest, such as in the ad for Progressive Bank shown in this
section.

6. Why might it be advantageous to the business to create a resonance between a product

and the consumer?

Connecting a brand with a consumer’s experiences to develop stronger ties between the
product and the consumer is affective resonance advertising. Playing music from a
specific era takes members of a generation such as echo boomers back to that time.
Currently, many advertisers find that baby boomers are more likely to watch network or
cable television programs, which leads to ads featuring music and themes from their
youthful days (the late 1950s to about 1970) for those venues. Any strongly held memory
or emotional attachment becomes a candidate for resonance advertising

A new form of resonance advertising, comfort marketing, gained traction when marketers
looked for ways to encourage consumers to purchase brand names rather than generic
products. The approach reassures consumers looking for value that a branded product
stands the test of time.

7. What are the seven most common types of advertising appeals?

Advertisers employ numerous advertising approaches. Of these, seven advertising

appeals have achieved the most success.

Fear Appeals
o Advertisements featuring fear appeals are commonplace. Some car
companies, such as Subaru, have focused on the consequences of not
having a safe automobile in a crash or accident, as featured in the “They
Lived” campaign and subsequent ads, one entitled “Moment of Silence” in
2020 in which various individuals dealing with a badly wrecked car note that
those inside the auto survived the accident.
PARALE, MARCHELLE IRISH S.
MBAOUS-1B

Humor Appeals
o Humor has proven to be one of the best techniques for cutting through the
clutter, by getting attention and maintaining it. Consumers, as a whole,
enjoy advertisements that make them laugh. A funny message offers
intrusive value and attracts attention.

Sex Appeals
o Sexual appeals help break through the clutter. Advertisements in the United
States and other countries contain more visual sexual themes than ever.
Nudity and other sexual approaches are common.
Music Appeals
o Music often adds an important ingredient to an advertisement. A musical
theme connects with emotions, memories, and other experiences.

Rational Appeals
o A rational appeal follows the hierarchy of effects stages of awareness,
knowledge, liking, preference, conviction, and purchase.

Emotional Appeals
o Most creatives view emotional advertising as the key to brand loyalty.
Creatives want customers to experience bonds with the brand.
Scarcity Appeals
o Scarcity appeals urge consumers to buy a product because of a limitation.
It can be that a limited number of the item is available or that the product
will be sold for only a short period.

8. What is the emotional affective approach?

An emotional affective approach attempts to elicit powerful feelings that enhance product
recall and choice. Many emotions connect to products, including trust, reliability,
friendship, happiness, security, glamour, luxury, serenity, pleasure, romance, and
passion. Emotional approaches were used by numerous advertisers including Verizon,
Lincoln, Chevrolet, and Cadillac during the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, emphasizing a
sense of community as a major theme.

Companies incorporate emotional appeals into both consumer-oriented and business-to-

business advertisements. Members of the buying center in a business are humans who
make purchasing decisions based on more than rational thinking. Emotions and feelings
affect choices.

9. When does humor work in an ad? What pitfalls should companies avoid in using
humorous appeals?

Works when: humor can be related to product attributes, a customer benefit, or a personal
value obtained by the product
PARALE, MARCHELLE IRISH S.
MBAOUS-1B

Avoid when: humor overpowers message, careful of differing humor in other cultures

Sources:

https://www.counterpartcd.com/message-strategy/