Session 8 - Ad design II

Question 1

Cognitive message strategies (rational arguments, designed to influence beliefs and knowledge)

Answer 1

1. Generic: “The product is good”
2. Preemptive: “My product is the first with this feature”
3. Unique selling proposition: “My product is the only one to be good, and it can be tested”
4. Hyperbole: “My product is best, even on Mars”
5. Comparative: “My product is better than the competitor’s”

Question 2

Generic message (cognitive)

Answer 2

=> directly promotes a product without claiming superiority to competition (no differentiation)

• creates brand awareness
• creates cognitive link to specific product category
• best when firm is market leader
• makes brand synonymous with product category

Question 3

Preemptive message (cognitive)

Answer 3

=> makes a claim based on superiority of product’s attribute that has not been used before (and that is not supported by specific evidence)

• few real differences must exist, but company should be first
• prevents competition from making same claim
• strives to make brand synonymous with product feature
• other brands are seen as “me-too” brand

Question 4

Unique selling proposition message (cognitive)

Answer 4

=> focuses on a testable claim of uniqueness or superiority based on a (seemingly) meaningful benefit

• provides unique, testable reason to buy brand/product
• often used to position brand in terms of product attributes
• best when this aspect cannot be (easily) achieved by competitor

Question 5

Hyperbole message (cognitive)

Answer 5

=> untestable claim based on some attribute or benefit, which does not require substantiation; uses exaggeration

• works best for non-skeptical persons
• allows for more creativity and humour in the ad
• increases interest and awareness, attract new customers

Question 6

Comparative message (cognitive)

Answer 6

=> focuses on a (direct) comparison to a real/ fictitious brand

• competitor(s) must be wisely chosen
• advantages: captures attention, increases awareness, differentiates
• disadvantages: often less believable (too much exaggeration), can create negative attitude, creates awareness for competition

Question 7

Affective message strategies (invoke feelings or emotions, with the goal of enhancing likeability, recall and comprehension)

Answer 7

1. Resonance:
   - connects with consumer’s experience (nostalgic)
   - useful for socially visible products, not innovations
   - hard to create
2. Emotional:
   - create positive feelings
   - increase brand choice
   - not connected to prior consumer’s experience
   - useful for products purchased for emotional reasons

Question 8

Conative message strategies (designed to lead directly to some type of action or response)

Answer 8

1. Action-inducing:
   - encourage action
   - awareness and liking already exist
   - motivate impulse buys
   - useful for low involvement products
2. Promotional support:
   - combined with some type of promotion (e.g. sweepstakes, coupons,…)
   - motivate purchase and impulse buys
   - useful for low involvement products

Question 9

To what do the different message strategies relate to?

Answer 9

To the Hierarchy of Effect model

Question 10

What is an Ad appeal?

Answer 10

A persuasive pressure that stimulate a person to buy a product by speaking to an individual’s needs or interests

Question 11

On what should an appeal chosen?

Answer 11

On the campaign objectives, the message strategy and the target group

Question 12

Fear appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 12

=> common and used for a variety of products

=> get attention and interest, change behaviour, useful if consumers can easily change behaviour

=> strength should be moderate (if too much, consumer may looks away or does not feel concerned, short-term effect, not effective for everybody

Question 13

Humour appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 13

=> used in about 30% of TV and radio ads

=> get interest, create positive emotions, can increase recall and comprehension

=> difficult to achieve, can overpower message, can be offensive, difficult to translate across cultures

Question 14

Sex appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 14

=> not so commonly used anymore, the shock value has gone

=> get attention, arousal (affective and cognitive response)

=> can be offensive, can overpower message, often sexist and not pleasant

Question 15

Music appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 15

=> using music often connects emotions, translates to product if consumer start thinking about music and product

=> emotions, possible to design song to particular emotion, increase retention of visual info, stored in long-term memory

=> usage rights may be expensive, requires talent, may limit usage of other audio stimuli

Question 16

Rational appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 16

=> uses logic, requires attention first, works best with print media

=> powerful for changing attitudes, highly effective, best for complex products

=> requires attention first, difficult to achieve

Question 17

Emotional appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 17

=> works best in TV (see and hear) and in combination with other appeals

=> create bonds, loyalty

=> difficult to achieve, good knowledge of consumer required

Question 18

Scarcity appeal (usage, pros and cons)

Answer 18

=> often combined with promotions (e.g. contests, sweepstakes, coupons)

=> increase value, urge consumer to buy (time limit)

=> create pressure (and negative emotions), sometimes regret after purchase