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Part Three Analyzing the Communication Process
Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
III. Analyzing the
Communication Process
6. Source, Message, and
Channel Factors
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
Differences in Information Processing There are basic differences in the
manner and rate at which information from various forms of media is transmitted and
can be processed. 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.
The difference in the processing rate for print and broadcast media has some obvious
implications for advertisers. Self-paced print media make it easier for the message
recipient to process a long, complex message. Advertisers often use print ads when
they want to present a detailed message with a lot of information. Broadcast media are
more effective for transmitting shorter messages or, in the case of TV, presenting pictorial
information along with words.
While there are limits to the length and complexity of broadcast messages, advertisers
can deal with this problem. One strategy is to use a radio or TV ad to get consumers’
attention and direct them to specific print media for a more detailed message.
For example, home builders use radio ads to draw attention to new developments and
direct listeners to the real estate section of the newspaper for more details. Some
advertisers develop broadcast and print versions of the same message. The copy portion
is similar in both media, but the print ad can be processed at a rate comfortable to
the receiver.
Effects of Context and Environment
Interpretation of an advertising message can be influenced by the context or environment
in which the ad appears. Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan’s thesis,
“The medium is the message,” implies that the medium communicates an image that is
independent of any message it contains. 68 A qualitative media effect is the influence
the medium has on a message. The image of the media vehicle can affect reactions to
the message. For example, an ad for a high-quality men’s clothing line might have
more of an impact in a fashion magazine like GQ than in Sports Afield. Airlines, destination
resorts, and travel-related services advertise in publications such as Travel &
Leisure partly because the articles, pictures, and other ads help to excite readers about
travel (Exhibit 6-16).
A media environment can also be created by the nature of the program in which a
commercial appears. One study found that consumers reacted more positively to commercials
seen during a happy TV program than a sad one. 69 Advertisers pay premium
dollars to advertise on popular programs that create positive moods, like the Olympic
Games and Christmas specials. Conversely, advertisers tend to avoid programs that
create a negative mood among viewers or may be detrimental to the company or its
products. Many companies won’t advertise on programs with excessive violence or
sexual content. As a corporate policy, Coca-Cola never advertises on TV news programs
because it thinks bad news is inconsistent with Coke’s image as an upbeat, fun
product. A study by Andrew Aylesworth and Scott MacKenzie found that commercials
placed in programs that induce negative moods are processed less systematically than
ads placed in programs that put viewers in positive moods. 70 They suggest that media
buyers might be well 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. However, 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 analyze the ad in detail
because of their negative mood state.
Clutter
Another aspect of the media environment, which is important to advertisers, is the
problem of clutter, which has been defined as the amount of advertising in a
medium. 71 However, for television, clutter is often viewed as including all the nonprogram
material that appears in the broadcast environment—commercials, promotional