The Many Purposes Of Marketing Communication Anthony Miyazak

The Many Purposes Of Marketing Communicationanthony Miyazaki 2019it

It’s clear to anyone in business that marketing communications are critical to the survival and success of businesses, regardless of whether those communications come in the form of paid mass media advertising, direct marketing pieces, sales promotion, publicity, social media posts, salesperson scripting, or other types of marketing messaging. As a result, marketers constantly are seeking the “best” marketing messages to achieve their goals. The catch, however, is that there is no generic best message, because it all depends on the particular marketing goal, the audience, the message sender and how the sender is perceived, the environment, the communication channel, the level and type of noise in the channel, and the specific situation.

Thus, marketers most often are relegated to finding merely “good enough” or “better” rather than “best” when it comes to developing marketing messages. What is marketing communication supposed to do? To move toward the creation of better marketing messaging, we first need to understand what marketing communication is supposed to do. Although most marketers understand that, ultimately, it should facilitate a perceived mutually beneficial exchange relationship between the marketer and the target audience(s), there are several more specific goals that marketing communication can achieve. One typical approach to a categorization of marketing communication goals suggests that marketing communications should inform, remind, persuade, and connect.

Paper For Above instruction

Marketing communication is a vital component of business strategy, serving multiple purposes that extend beyond simple information dissemination. Its primary objective is to facilitate a mutually beneficial exchange between a company and its target audience. However, the specific functions of marketing communication can be categorized into four core goals: informing, reminding, persuading, and connecting, each serving a distinct role in shaping consumer perception and behavior.

Informing

The first purpose of marketing communication is to inform the target audience about products, services, or ideas. Effective informing involves providing clear, accurate, and sufficient information without overwhelming the recipient. This includes sharing product attributes, features, quality, brand reputation, and other relevant data that help consumers make informed decisions. For example, a company launching a new smartphone might emphasize its key features, such as battery life, camera capabilities, and design. The challenge lies in presenting this information in a manner that is easily understandable and persuasive enough to influence purchasing decisions. Ensuring clarity and avoiding information overload are crucial to successful informing (Kotler & Keller, 2016). Additionally, the presentation style and communication channel should align with the audience’s preferences to maximize impact.

Reminding

Reminding serves to keep a brand or product name at the forefront of consumers’ minds, especially for those already familiar with it. This goal is particularly important in saturated markets where brand recall is essential to influence purchase decisions when consumers are ready to buy. Reminding campaigns often involve brand displays, slogans, and subtle references to product benefits aimed at maintaining awareness rather than introducing new information. For instance, seasonal advertisements for Coca-Cola aim to reinforce the brand’s presence, fostering familiarity and strengthening customer loyalty over time (Aaker & Joachimsthaler, 2000). The effectiveness of reminding strategies depends on consistency and relevance, ensuring the message remains salient without causing fatigue or annoyance.

Persuading

Persuasion is perhaps the most prominent goal of marketing communication. It aims to influence consumer attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to encourage a specific action, such as making a purchase, voting, or adopting a new lifestyle. Persuasive messages often combine factual information with emotional appeals to strengthen their impact. For example, advertising campaigns that evoke feelings of happiness or security can motivate consumers to buy insurance policies or luxury products (Percy & Rossiter, 1997). Persuasion requires understanding the target audience’s motivations and tailoring messages that resonate with their values and needs. The ultimate aim is to produce a behavioral change conducive to the marketer’s objectives.

Connecting

Connecting with the target audience builds relationships that foster trust, loyalty, and community. Before the digital age, marketers recognized that engaging consumers through meaningful interactions enhances brand affinity. Today, connecting involves interactive platforms like social media, brand communities, and personalized communication channels. For instance, brands creating online forums or social media groups enable consumers to share experiences and provide feedback, transforming customers into brand advocates (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2010). These connections often evolve into emotional bonds, enabling brands to achieve long-term loyalty beyond transactional relationships. Creating a sense of community around a brand or product can generate organic growth and reduce marketing costs over time.

Additional Purposes of Marketing Communication

Beyond the core goals, marketing communication also seeks to attract attention and entertain audiences. Attracting attention is fundamental to ensure that messages reach the intended consumers, especially in competitive environments where numerous stimuli vie for attention. Techniques such as eye-catching visuals, provocative headlines, and engaging narratives are employed to capture interest (Lester, 2013). Maintaining attention can be challenging, particularly if the message is not aligned with the audience’s interests or needs.

Entertainment serves as a strategy to sustain engagement during communication. Creative campaigns that entertain can leave lasting impressions, making audiences more receptive to the message. For example, humorous or emotionally resonant advertisements often create memorable brand experiences. However, marketers must balance entertainment with clarity to prevent the message from being drowned out or overshadowed (Rossiter & Percy, 1997).

Emotional appeals are powerful in building strong brand connections. Evoking positive emotions like joy, pride, or nostalgia can enhance brand loyalty and increase product recall (Olson & Zaltman, 2017). Conversely, some messages aim to evoke negative emotions, such as fear or urgency, to prompt immediate action—such as security warnings or anti-smoking campaigns.

Motivation is another purpose, where marketing efforts aim to inspire consumers to act. Whether encouraging immediate purchases or long-term behavioral changes, motivational messages are tailored to trigger specific responses based on situational context (Cialdini, 2009). For instance, limited-time offers motivate quick decisions, while educational campaigns can foster sustained behavioral shifts.

In essence, marketing communication is an influential tool that, depending on its purpose, can inform, remind, persuade, connect, entertain, motivate, or evoke emotions. Its strategic deployment can shape individual perceptions and behaviors, influence industry trends, and even impact societal norms. Recognizing and aligning these purposes with organizational goals ensures that marketing efforts lead to meaningful engagement and desired outcomes. As marketers understand the complex interplay of these aims, they can craft nuanced messages that resonate deeply with their audiences, driving both short-term results and long-term brand equity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, marketing communication plays an integral role in the success and growth of businesses by serving multiple purposes that reach beyond mere information sharing. Its primary functions—informing, reminding, persuading, and connecting—are complemented by activities aimed at attracting attention, entertaining, evoking or suppressing emotions, and motivating audiences. Effective marketing communication requires strategic alignment with specific organizational objectives and a nuanced understanding of target audiences. As digital platforms evolve and consumer behaviors shift, marketers must continuously adapt their messaging strategies to remain relevant, engaging, and impactful. Ultimately, mastering the various purposes of marketing communication empowers organizations to influence attitudes, drive behaviors, and create enduring brand relationships in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

References

• Aaker, D. A., & Joachimsthaler, E. (2000). Brand Leadership. Simon and Schuster.
• Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: Science and Practice (5th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.
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• Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management (15th ed.). Pearson.
• Lester, P. M. (2013). Visual Communication: Images with Messages. Wadsworth.
• Olson, K., & Zaltman, G. (2017). Marketing and Emotion. Journal of Marketing. 81(6), 65-83.
• Percy, L., & Rossiter, J. R. (1997). Advertising Communications and Promotion Management. Oxford University Press.
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