Body text (Body copy)

Main block of text within advertisement which is apart from headlines, logo, pictures to the ad, etc., i.e. the explanation of it about the product and/ or offer. Usually it is kept brief and short, though main criteria is that it should be convincing and sell well.

See also: Headline, Direct headline

Campaign theme

The central idea of an advertising campaign that appears in different media across a specified time period. It is the most critical part of the creative process, as it sets the tone for the individual ads and other forms of marketing communication.

Communication timing

The manner in which network communication is scheduled, determining whether it is real-time or stored.

Implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose

Warranties that arise when a customer relies on the retailer to assist the customer or to select the right goods to serve a particular purpose.

Receiver

In the context of marketing communication it refers to the person or persons with whom the sender shares thoughts or information. Generally, receivers are the consumers in the target market or audience who read, hear, and/or see the marketer’s message and decode it.

Impact

Effect advertisement has on reader, viewer or listener. A TV campaign can be shown as many times as it is likely to achieve a given number of impacts per viewer, bearing in mind that the viewer will not see every appearance of the commercial.

Stimuli

Any physical, visual, or verbal communications that can influence an individual's response. The two most important types of stimuli influencing consumer behaviour are marketing and environmental. Marketing stimuli are any communications or physical stimuli that are designed to influence consumers. The product and its components are primary stimuli whereas marketing communication designed to influence consumer behaviour are secondary stimuli. Examples of consumer stimuli include products, packages, brand names, advertisements, and commercials. Also known as sensory input.

Principle of congruity

A concept derived from psychology and used in the context of marketing communication. This principle may be applied when a company wants to change the attitudes of its consumers by using celebrity endorsers. Suppose a consumer hears a likeable celebrity praise a brand that he or she dislikes, this principle holds that attitude change will take place in the direction of increasing the amount of congruity between the brand and the celebrity. This implies that a company can use the good image of celebrity to reduce some negative feelings toward a brand but in the process it might loose some esteem with respect to that celebrity. Therefore, celebrities should be used with some discretion.

Encoding

One of the important components of communication process. The communication process begins when the source selects words, symbols, pictures, and the like, to represent the message that will be delivered to the receiver(s). This process involves putting thoughts, idea or information into a symbolic form.

Source credibility

In the context of marketing communication this refers to the level of expertise and trustworthiness consumers attribute to the source of the message. Expertise is the ability of the source to make valid statements about the product’s characteristics and performance. Where as, trustworthiness is the perception that a source has made valid statement about the product.

Synchronous communication

In the context of Internet this term refers to real time communication in which participants may respond immediately.

Spamming

Sending out indiscriminate e-mail communications to large numbers of individuals.

Synchronous communication

In the context of Internet this term refers to real time communication in which participants may respond immediately.

Sought communication

A marketing communication, which the consumer actively searches for as part of the information-gathering process.

Sociometric technique

One of the methods to identify opinion leader. This method is developed to describe the patterns of communication and influence among members of a group. Members of a group are asked from whom they get advice and to whom they go to seek advice or information in making a specific product decision. Specific individuals are identified and can in turn be interviewed to trace the network of communication. Individuals with the most frequent communication links are identified as opinion leaders.

Personal communication channels

One of the major communication channels that are used in disseminating information by the companies. Some of these channels are not under the control of a company. These channels involve two or more persons communicating directly with each other face-to-face, person-to-audience, over the telephone, or through e-mail. Personal communication channel derive their effectiveness through individualized presentation and feedback. Personal communication channels can be further classified into advocate, expert, and social communication channels.

Word-of-mouth communication

Interpersonal communication between two or more individuals such as members of a reference group or a customer and a salesperson. People exert purchase influence through such communication.

Visual communication

In the context of advertising communication it refers to nonverbal stimuli such as photographs or illustrations commonly used in advertising to convey or add meaning to a message or to reinforce message arguments.

Zero-based communications planning

An approach to planning the integrated marketing communications program that involves determining what tasks need to be done and what marketing communication functions should be used to accomplish them and to what extent. This approach focuses on the task to be done and searches for the best ideas and media to accomplish it.

Communication task (advertising)

Under the DAGMAR approach, which was propounded by Russell Colley in 1961, to setting advertising goals and objectives, something that can be performed by and attributed to advertising such as awareness, comprehension, conviction, and action.