Chapter 6

1. Source, Message and Channel
Factors

2. Persuasion Matrix
• Independent variables: Controllable components of communication process
• Dependent Variables: Steps a receiver goes through in being persuaded
• This helps a marketer see how each controllable element interacts with the
consumer’s responsive process

3. SOURCE FACTORS

4. Source Factors
Source: The person involved in communicating a marketing
message
Direct Source: A spokesperson who delivers a message
and/or demonstrates a product or service
Indirect Source: Doesn’t actually deliver a message but draws
attention to and/or enhances the appearance of the ad
Three basic categories of source attributes: credibility,
attractiveness and power

5. Source Credibility
Credibility is the extent to which the recipient sees the source as having
relevant knowledge, skill, or experience and trusts the source to give
unbiased, objective information
Expertise and trustworthiness are two important dimensions to credibility
Information from a credible source influences beliefs, opinions, attitudes,
and/or behaviour through a process known as internalization, which occurs
when the receiver adopts the opinion of the credible communicator since he
or she believes information from this source is accurate

6. Source Attractiveness
Attractiveness encompasses similarity, familiarity, and
likability
Source attractiveness leads to persuasion through a process
of identification, whereby the receiver is motivated to seek
some type of relationship with the source and thus adopts
similar beliefs, attitudes, preferences, or behaviour

7. Source Power
A source has power when he or she can actually administer rewards and
punishments to the receiver
The source must be perceived as being able to administer positive or
negative sanctions to the receiver (perceived control)
The receiver must think the source cares about whether or not the
receiver conforms (perceived concern)
The receiver’s estimate of the source’s ability to observe conformity is
also important (perceived scrutiny)
When a receiver perceives a source as having power, the influence
process occurs through a process known as compliance

8. MESSAGE STRUCTURE
An important aspect of message strategy is knowing the best way to
communicate these points and overcome any opposing viewpoints
audience members may hold

9. Order Of Presentation
• Presenting the strongest arguments at the beginning of the message
assumes a primacy effect is operating, whereby information presented first
is most effective.
• Putting the strong points at the end assumes a recency effect, whereby
the last arguments presented are most persuasive
Ad message recall as a function of order of presentation

10. Conclusion Drawing:
• Messages with explicit conclusions are more easily understood and effective in
influencing attitudes
• The effectiveness of conclusion drawing may depend on the target audience, the type of
issue or topic, and the nature of the situation
Message Sidedness:
• A one-sided message mentions only positive attributes or benefits
• One-sided messages are most effective when the target audience already holds a
favourable opinion about the topic
• A two-sided message presents both good and bad points
• Two-sided messages are more effective when the target audience holds an opposing
opinion or is highly educated
Refutation:
• The communicator presents both sides of an issue and then refutes the opposing
viewpoint
• They are more effective than one-sided messages in making consumers resistant to an
opposing message
Verbal vs. visual messages:
• The use of a visual that is inconsistent with the verbal content leads to more recall and
greater processing of the information presented

11. • The practice of either directly or indirectly naming
competitors in an ad and comparing one or more specific
Comparative
Advertising attributes
• Ads sometimes use fear appeals to evoke this emotional
response and arouse individuals to take steps to remove the
Fear Appeals threat
• Humorous ads are often the best known and best
Humor remembered of all advertising messages
Appeals

12. CHANNEL FACTORS
While a variety of methods are available to transmit marketing
communications, they can be classified into two broad categories, personal
and non-personal media. Information received from personal influence
channels is generally more persuasive than information received via the mass
media.

13. Effects of Alternative Mass Media:
• The various mass media that advertisers use to transmit their messages differ in many
ways, including the number and type of people they reach, costs, information processing
requirements, and qualitative factors
• Information from ads in print media, such as newspapers, magazines, or direct mail, is
self-paced; readers process the ad at their own rate and can study it as long as they
desire.
• In contrast, information from the broadcast media of radio and television is externally
paced; the transmission rate is controlled by the medium
Effects of context and environment:
• A qualitative media effect is the influence the medium has on a message media
• Buyers are advised to follow the conventional wisdom of placing their ads during “feel-
good” programming, especially if the message is intended to work through a central
route to persuasion.
• Messages intended to operate through a peripheral route to persuasion might be more
effective if they are shown during more negative programs, where presumably viewers
will not analyse the ad in detail because of their negative mood state
Clutter:
• Clutter is the amount of advertising in medium
• Clutter is of increasing concern to advertisers since there are so many messages in
various media competing for the consumer’s attention
• Clutter has become a major concern among television advertisers as a result of
increases in non-program time and the trend toward shorter commercials