PROMOTIONAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Promotional Marketing Campaigns

Promotional Marketing Campaign

Executive Summary

Two particularly relevant issues pertain to affect and message strategies. The first deals with the use of information- versus emotion-driven messages. The notion of rational versus emotional appeals dates back to the classic Yale studies, with mixed findings. In a series of insightful studies, advertisers have differentiated between informational and transformational advertising (Puto and Wells, 1984). Informational ads present factual information, while transformational advertising appeals primarily to emotion and often relies upon visual imagery and music. Both have been found to be effective, but the literature suggests sponsors must be careful that information does not interfere with emotion, and vice versa. In light of the extensive expenditures on corporate and issue advertising by a growing number of organizations, public relations people would do well to understand more fully the underlying principles at work. The second question pertains to the more general issue of how message affect impacts responses to the subject matter of the message.

Introduction

A robust body of knowledge suggests that people's responses to messages a) directly impact how people think about the subject matter of a message, and b) produce greater acceptance of message claims (Lutz, 1985). However, this idea has only been tested with advertising. I think is important for us to see whether the same principle applies to the myriad of other content classes used in public relations. Finally, public relations would benefit in the coming decade from examining in more depth the consumer behavior research pertaining to consumer actions and responses to organizations other the purchase of products and services.

Take, for example, complaints. We talk about disgruntled people and activism--but the first line of line of action most people take with an organization is to complain. What does public relations know about complaint behavior? Research suggests that the propensity to complain about poor performance is can be explained by both the dissatisfaction itself as well as characteristics of people individuals involved. Similarly, consumer behavior research provides useful perspectives on the concept risk which consumer researchers have defined alternatively as general uncertainty or physical danger. Fear of risk is one of the most powerful linchpins that can escalate levels of both involvement and activism.

Finally, consumer behavior research shares with public relations a common interest in understanding the effectiveness of information efforts intended to improve the economic and social well being of people. We can learn from consumer behavior findings on a variety of topics, including the effectiveness of information disclosures, consumer education programs, and social marketing (public information) campaigns. In outlining these five broad areas, this paper has five broad areas that should be priorities for public relations research in the coming decade and has highlighted how consumer behavior research might create opportunities for synergy. Numerous other very useful research topics could be considered.

By focusing on key questions involving the behavior of individuals, I believe we must develop a critical mass of knowledge that will help to extend our field's own body of knowledge, and thus improve the ...