Marketing

Communication 3

Communication factors relate to characteristics of the communication option under consideration itself. There are a number of relevant dimensions by which communication options could be contrasted. Fundamentally, marketing communications differ on various aspects of modality '' e.g. the number (sight, sound, motion, spoken or written words; etc) and nature (static, dynamic, interactive, customized. etc) of modalities involved (Wright 1981; Edell 1988). These very basic aspects of a marketing communication are extremely important in how they interact with consumer characteristics and the surrounding context to create different responses. For example, the ability of interactive web sites to present information in virtually nay modality in a customized fashion has profound implications on communication effectiveness and the ability to build strong relationships with consumers.

In a more specific sense, marketing communications can also vary in their message content about the brand (‘’what is said’’) and creative execution (‘’how it is said’’). A communication may contain much brand-related information (e.g. a detailed print ad or direct mail piece) or none at all (e.g. a titled sponsorship without additional marketing support). Brand-related information may focus on tangible aspects (e.g. physical product attributes) or intangible aspects (e.g. user or usage imagery, brand personality, the company behind the brand, etc) of the product, as well as on the brand name itself. In terms of creative execution, brand-related information may be conveyed in virtually an infinite number of different ways (e.g. through informational or emotional means; employing fear, music, sex, appeals, special effects, etc). Thus, marketing communications can vary tremendously in the amount and nature of brand-related information as well as executional information.

Response

Consumer response reflects the state changes that a consumer experiences '' either...