INTEGRATED

MARKETING
COMMUNICATION
CHAPTER 5 :
SOURCE, MESSAGES AND CHANNEL FACTORS
 Chapter Learning Objective:-
LO 1 : To study the major variables in the communication
system.

LO 2 : To examine the different types of message structure and

appeals that can be used to develop a promotional message.

LO 3: To consider how the channel or medium used to deliver a

promotional message influences the communication process
Introduction
To develop an effective advertising and promotional campaign, a firm
must select the right spokesperson (source) to deliver a compelling
message (message) through appropriate channel or media (channel).
SPOKESPERSON (SOURCE)
MESSAGE
 Source Factors
Source component is a multifaceted concept - a person, a company,
etc.
However, the term source in IMC mean the person involved in
communicating a marketing message, either directly or indirectly.
Direct source – a spokesperson who delivers a message and/or
endorses a product or service.
Indirect source – someone (model) who doesn’t actually deliver a
message but draws attention to and/or enhance the appearance of the
ads.
Companies are very careful when selecting individuals to deliver
their selling messages – the characteristic of the source can affect the
Hayden Panettiere endorses
sales of the product/service.
milk
Source Credibility
Credibility is the extend to which the recipient sees the source as
having these criteria :-
◦ Knowledgeable / expert
◦ Trustworthy
◦ Honest
◦ Ethical
◦ Believable
Source Attractiveness
One of source characteristic that is used by the advertisers is
attractiveness which encompasses:-
◦ Similarity
◦ Resemblance between the source and the receiver of the message
◦ Familiarity
◦ Refers to knowledge of the source through exposure
◦ Likability
◦ An affection for the source as a result of physical appearance, behaviour or other personal
traits.
Factors to Consider before choosing
Source
A number of factors must be considered when a company
decides to use a celebrity spokesperson :-
◦ Overshadowing the Product
◦ Overexposure
◦ Target audiences’ receptivity
◦ Risk to advertiser
McCracken Meaning Transfer Model
McCracken (1989) explains the effectiveness of celebrity spokespersons by
assessing the meanings consumers associate with the endorser and eventually
transfer to the brand.

This perspective is shared by Kambitsis et al. (2002, p. 160), who found the
athletes’ personality as being an important factor in influencing “specific target
groups, to which such personalities are easily recognizable and much admired.”
 McCracken Meaning Transfer Model –
FIRST STAGE
McCracken’s model is based on the concept of meanings. Celebrities contain a broad range of meanings, involving
demographic categories (e.g. age, gender, status), personality and lifestyle types.

Madonna, for example, is perceived as a tough, intense and modern women, and is associated with the lower
middle class (Walker et al. 1992). The personality of Pierce Brosnan is best characterized as the perfect gentlemen,
whereas Jennifer Aniston has the image of the ‘good girl from next door’.

McCracken (1989) emphasizes that a famous person represents not one single meaning, but expresses a number
and variety of different meanings.

According to Martin (1996, p.29), celebrity spokespersons are useful in marketing because they provide a “set of
characteristics” that supports consumers in evaluating the presented brand. In contrast to anonymous endorsers,
celebrities add value to the image transfer process by offering meanings of extra depth and power, what is
complemented by their lifestyles and personalities (McCracken 1989).
 McCracken Meaning Transfer Model –
SECOND STAGE
Having determined the brand’s symbolic features by considering consumers’ needs, the advertising company
has to select the celebrity who contains the appropriate set of characteristics, and “who will best be able to
produce the most favorable response from consumers.”

As an example, L’Oréal decided to promote its lip color brand ‘Shine Délice’ as “sheer, sumptuous, sensual”
with “juicy shades…for luscious lips.” (L’Oréal USA 2002) French model and actress Laetitia Casta with
her fresh and sexy look best matched the cosmetic brand’s properties and was therefore selected to portray
this brand line of L’Oréal.

Pairing the model and the beauty product in an advertisement allows the transfer of Casta’s meanings to the
consumer good, thus her meanings (e.g. youthful, fresh, appealing) become associated with the L’Oréal
brand ‘Shine Délice’ in the mind of the female consumer.
 McCracken Meaning Transfer Model –
THIRD STAGE
Using a different character, for example the actress Andie McDowell, to endorse ‘Shine Délice’,
would affect the meaning of the brand in the minds of consumers (Walker et al. 1992).

The meanings associated with her, like sophisticated, moral, mature woman, and family-type, are
completely different to those of Casta, thus, when transferred, resulting in different associations
with L’Oréal’s lip color brand, for example, less youthful, more introverted, and safe.

These findings prove, that it is crucial to select the appropriate celebrity endorser, i.e. a
spokesperson that is able to promote the desired attributes of the brand.
Message Structure
An important aspect of message strategy is knowing the best way to
communicate with the public particularly the target audience.
How structure of a persuasive message can influence its effectiveness
:-
◦ Order of presentation (structure)
◦ Conclusion drawing
◦ Message content (persuasive)
◦ Visual messages
 Advertising Appeals (MESSAGE)

It is important to choose an appropriate appeal for the message in the

advertisement.Advertising appeals aim to influence the way consumers view themselves and
how buying certain products can prove to be beneficial for them.

The message conveyed through advertising appeals influences the purchasing decisions of
consumers. Advertising uses appeals as a way of persuading people to buy certain products.

Advertising appeals are designed in a way so as to create a positive image of the individuals
who use certain products.Some ads are designed to appeal to the rational, logical aspects of
the consumers’ decision-making, some ads appeal to feelings in an attempt to evoke some
emotional reaction.
Type of Advertising Appeal
1) Emotional appeal
2) Scarcity Appeal
3) Fear Appeal
4) Humour Appeal
5) Rational Appeal
6) Sexual Appeal
7) Bandwagon Appeal
Scarcity Appeal
Scarcity appeal relies on the consumer’s desire for the product or service.
It creates fears of not getting what they need. Scarcity reminds
consumers that now is the time to act if they want to get what they want
and desire. When supply is limited and demand is high, a product or
service becomes more valuable.
Scarcity appeals work well for products or services that are affordable or
are on sale. They can be less successful for luxury products, which can
lack the sort of mass appeal necessary for strong sales.
Scarcity appeals also work well for promotional tools including coupons,
sweepstakes, and contests. They create a strong desire to act to “get in”
on the offer and make it simple for consumers to convert by entering the
sweepstakes, sharing the contest (to grow brand awareness) and taking
advantage of the coupon to save on purchases.
Fear Appear
Fear is an emotional response to a threat that expresses or
implies ‘danger’. Ads use fear appeals to evoke emotional
response and arouse individuals to take steps to remove the
threat and persuade consumers to buy a product or service.
High fear appeal ads include classic anti-smoking or anti-
drug ads, which connect to the underlying health risks of
smoking or doing drugs.
Low fear ads trigger anxiety and fear. Examples include ads
for mouthwash, which suggest that bad breath may be
keeping you from getting a date or a new job. Household
cleaning products like the AJAX are often advertised with a
low fear response: Viewers feel like they need the product
in order to combat harmful germs hiding in plain sight.
 Humour Appeal
Humor appeal is normally presented in through radio and television commercials – as these media lend themselves to the
execution of humorous messages.
Humorous messages attract and hold consumers’ attention. Humour appeals make consumers laugh, connecting directly
to them on an emotional level. They can help make a brand, product, or service more likable and also reinforce brand
perception in the market.
Humour appeals can backfire if they isolate or poke fun of an audience segment. These ads generally work best for
products that are not controversial and are widely purchased by a range of market segments. Products such as coffee,
alcohol, cell phones, and other consumer goods are frequently advertised using humour.
One of the most well-known examples in recent years is Coca Cola’s beach ad. The ad shows a thirsty man reaching for
his Coke; unbeknownst to him, a thirsty penguin has stolen the beverage and finds it refreshing. The ad succeeds
because it’s cute, clever, and appeals to Coke fans young and old.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BHOj7ytInk
 Emotional Appeal
Emotional appeal is used by marketing professionals to persuade
people to buy a product, pay for a service, donate to a cause, or
otherwise be persuaded. The Personal Appeal seeks specifically to
incite emotional responses in viewers strong enough to encourage
them to buy or act.
While several other advertising appeals also seek to affect people’s
emotions (consider the Fear Appeal or the Humor Appeal), the
Personal Appeal encompasses the wide range of other emotions that an
advertiser may wish to play with in order to persuade his/her target
audience. While there are scores of emotions an advertiser could use,
some of the more common ones besides fear and humor are sadness,
pity, anger, excitement, and joy.

Example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCjspFY3gkE
 Bandwagon Appeal
This is a strategy used by marketing professionals to persuade people to buy a
product, pay for a service, donate to a cause, or otherwise be persuaded. The
Bandwagon Appeal attempts to persuade people by making them feel that a
product or idea is popular and that everyone else is doing it. The idea of the
Bandwagon Appeal is to make people feel like they’re missing out or falling
behind if they don’t join the crowd and be a part of the trend.
The Bandwagon Appeal is especially effective when your target audience desires
to be popular, to be a part of a group, to feel included, or to generally feel cool.
It’s also a good approach when your target audience may not be good at making
decisions or they’re nervous to try something new. The Bandwagon appeal is
effective in the following situations:
• when there is an emerging trend in society (for example, eating organic food);
• something is increasing in notoriety (it’s hard for your audience to know which product
is best;
• a product or service is relatively new or unfamiliar;
• or you know that your target audience is looking to find a product, service, or idea that
they can belong to.
 Sexual Appeal
The Sex Appeal  is one of advertising appeals that
marketing professionals use to persuade people to buy a
product, pay for a service, donate to a cause, or
otherwise be persuaded. The Sex Appeal lures audiences
by appealing to their sexual desires and fantasies.
Advertisers use this approach because it is an easy and
proven method for attracting attention quickly, especially
from men.
Channel Factor
Two(2) broad categories of channel / medium used
to deliver the message :-
◦ Personal channel
◦ Personal communication such as word-of-mouth and sales personnel.
◦ Non-personal channel
◦ Refers to mass media and the Internet / social network
END OF NOTES