Hybrid Messages: Beyond Advertising and Publicity
Posted by Category: Consumer Behavior, Marketing, Research Review.
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Beyond Advertising and Publicity: Hybrid Messages and Public Policy Issues
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The article “Beyond Advertising and Publicity” by Dr. Siva K. Balasubramanian (Assosciate Professor of Marketing, Southern Illinois University; Professor of Consumer Behavior, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai), observes that Organizations generally rely on two forms of non-personal communications, namely advertising and publicity. Advertising refers to communications that are paid for and clearly identify the sponsor; publicity refers to messages that are unpaid for and do not identify the sponsor. The key advantage of advertising is that the sponsor has control over the content of the message but this is not so in case of publicity. Because publicity messages do not identify the sponsor, audiences tend to perceive media as credible sources. Advertising and publicity individually do not provide the desirable mix of credible source and content control. Hybrid messages are developments in this field and are communications that are paid for but do not identify the sponsor.
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“Hybrid messages include all paid attempts to influence audiences for commercial benefit using communications that project a non-commercial character. Audiences are likely to be unaware of the commercial influence attempt and/or process the content of such communication differently than that of commercial messages.”
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Types of hybrid messages are: -
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Established hybrids– They have a ling history and have attracted some regulatory attention in the past. Product placements, program tie-in, program length commercial are various forms.
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- Product placement – paid product message aimed at influencing movie or television audiences via the planned and unobtrusive entry of a branded product into a movie or television program.
- Program tie-in – paid product message where the arrangement requires product sponsor to buy advertising spots broadcast with the program in exchange for product exposure within the program.
- Program length commercial – paid product message broadcast to television audiences using a format that resembles a legitimate program in content and in length. Also called infomercial.
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Emergent Hybrids – are of a recent origin and not subject to much regulatory attention. Masked art, masked news, masked spokesperson are forms.
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- Masked art – any work of art such as painting, sculpture etc that features branded products with deliberate but usually not obvious commercial intent. Friedman calls this ‘sponsored word of author communication’.
- Masked news – messages are embedded in news sources
- Masked spokesperson – two types: namely masked expert and masked celebrity. Masked expert messages are delivered by persons who legitimately play an expert role that accentuates credibility and deliberately suppress other roles that may damage credibility. Masked celebrity messages involve celebrities who mask their role as paid spokespersons while promoting products in public appearances.
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History and current status: -
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Product placement – evolved from successful publicity efforts directed at film medium several decades ago. It was neither a high profile nor a well organized area until late 1970’s. Firms now pay moviemakers substantial amounts for product placements perceived as advantageous. History suggests two conditions necessary for product placements – sponsors should perceive that they offer value; media should be motivated by the economic incentives.
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Program tie-in – existed in rudimentary form prior to 1960’s as FCC (Federal Communication Commission) discouraged program tie-ins. New developments in 1980’s relaxed these self-imposed standards. Program tie-in compensates for opportunity losses in advertising revenue by extracting a sponsor’s commitment to advertise heavily in the program. They also make it easier to sell ads in less successful programs.
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Program length commercial – originated in 1950’s as a tool to promote products for children. However, limits were sanctioned on PLC’s following concern over broadcast materials directed toward children. Limits were removed post 1984 and their popularity expanded beyond children’s products to financial products, real estate investment planning, political candidates etc.
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Current regulatory status: -
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Hybrid messages that emanate from broadcast/cablecast media are required to comply with the FCC on sponsorship identification. Hybrids embedded within all other media are not subject to such rules.
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Policy waivers, specific provisos and impact of new technology and new habits help accommodating hybrid messages within broadcast/cablecast media.
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Pros and Cons of hybrid messages: -
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Advantages
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Recall – Von Restorff effect states that almost any technique that serves to increase the novelty of particular items or leads them to be unexpected enhances the subsequent recall of those items. This stems from the ‘surprise’ factor. Actual recall of a product placement also depends on whether product is displayed in the background or in close-up,explicitly mentioned in the script etc.
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Persuasion – 3 rationales namely attribution theory, classical conditioning, modeling
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Attribution theory – persuasiveness of a message is adversely affected if recipient infers a bias in the message communicator, also called reporting bias. Masked spokesperson messages are beneficial as there are lesser chances of reporting bias.
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Classical conditioning – as ad messages are short, development of a positive paired association between unconditional stimulus and conditional stimulus is expensive. Product placements and PLC’s are more effective.
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Modeling – product demonstrations through modeling(actors) can facilitate learning when they experience positive consequences following product use.
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Disadvantages
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- Audience impact of hybrids is less direct and less immediate
- No established measure to assess persuasiveness of hybrids
- Effectiveness of hybrids hinges on sponsor exercising control over message but such control dissipates in practice
- Limited in availability and applicability, cannot accommodate planning.
- Substantial risk involved. Uncertain investments as product exposure and mpney spent can evaporate if movie flops.
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Tags: Attribution theory, Beyond Advertising and Publicity, Classical conditioning, Emergent Hybrids, Established hybrids, Hybrid Messages, Modeling, Persuasion, Product placement, Program length commercial, Program tie-in, Public Policy Issues, Recall