Advertising and Consumer Behavior Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the components of attitudes, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, argumentation structures, creative brief elements, and advertising execution strategies from transcript notes.

Attitude

The way we think, feel and act towards some aspect of our environment, such as a product, brand or ad.

Cognitive component

The attitude holder’s beliefs about the attitude object, such as believing Coke Zero has no calories.

Affective component

The feelings or emotional reaction to an object, such as saying “I like Coke Zero.”

Behavioural component

The tendency to respond in a certain way towards the attitude object, such as purchasing or not purchasing Coke Zero.

Utilitarian function of attitudes

Attitudes formed based on whether a product provides pleasure or pain.

Value-expressive function

Attitudes formed because of what a product says about who we are or what we value.

Ego-defensive function

Attitudes formed to protect a person from external threats or internal feelings.

Knowledge function

Attitudes formed because people need meaning and structure, especially in unfamiliar situations.

Dual Process Model

A theory describing two ways people think and make decisions: fast/intuitive (automatic, based on shortcuts) and slow/analytical (deliberate reflection).

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

A theory explaining how people process persuasive messages and change their attitudes based on the extent to which they generate thoughts about issue-relevant arguments.

Central route

Persuasion through strong evidence, reasoning, detailed product attributes, comparisons and rational benefits; requires high elaboration.

Peripheral route

Persuasion through surface-level cues such as attractiveness, celebrity endorsement, music, emotion, scarcity or credibility without evidence; occurs with low elaboration.

Need

The tension between the consumer’s actual state and desired state.

Motivation

The psychological engine behind persuasion that determines what consumers value as important.

Unique benefit

The strategic advantage or benefit the brand can deliver better than competitors.

Functional benefit

Focuses on the functional advantages of using the product, such as performance, noise cancellation, or durability.

Experiential benefit

Focuses on what it feels like to use the product, such as confidence, enjoyment, or relief.

Symbolic benefit

Focuses on what the product means about the user, such as identity, status, or personal success.

Laddering

The process of moving from attributes to functional benefits, experiential benefits, and finally symbolic/deep motivation.

Argumentation

A structured persuasive message consisting of a claim, evidence, and reasoning.

Claim

What the brand wants the audience to believe.

Evidence

Support for a claim, such as statistics, demonstrations, examples, visuals, testimony or narrative.

Reasoning

The connection that explains why the evidence supports the brand's claim.

Explicit argumentation

Clearly presents claims and supporting reasons using direct claims and data.

Implicit argumentation

Relies on audience inference through storytelling, visuals or repeated examples without direct claims.

Deductive reasoning

A logical process that moves from a general rule to a specific conclusion (broad to specific).

Inductive reasoning

A logical process that builds a general conclusion from examples, testimonials or repeated demonstrations (specific to broad).

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts used to quickly influence decision-making without requiring too much mental effort.

Scarcity heuristic

The mental shortcut that if a product is rare or limited, it must be valuable.

Framing heuristic

Presenting the same information in different ways to shape perception, such as comparing "$80\%$ lean" vs "$20\%$ fat."

Social proof heuristic

The belief that if others are buying a product, it must be good.

Creative brief

A document providing the creative team a realistic view of what advertising needs to do, who it must address, and the message the audience is likely to respond to.

Human insight

A human truth containing a tension that an attribute or benefit can resolve in an original way.

Single-minded proposition (SMP)

The single-minded promise the audience should take away from the advertising.

Reason to believe (RTB)

The proof or verifiable evidence for why the brand can deliver the proposition.

Unification (Creative Template)

Using an available element of the medium itself to deliver the message.

Inversion (Creative Template)

Showing how horrible the world would be without the advertised product.

Copywriting

The language of advertising, shaped and sculpted by a copywriter.

Headline

A line designed to attract immediate attention, such as assertion, command, news announcement, or puzzle headlines.

Art direction

Creating visual attraction in advertising through arrangement, ambience, design, and symbolism.

Media channel

The broad category or type of media, such as TV, print, or social media.

Media vehicle

The specific platform or environment where the message appears, such as Instagram or a specific magazine.

Media environment

The context within a vehicle that shapes credibility, attention, and message processing.

Neutral delivery

A strategic approach where the marketing message is developed independently of the channel used to deliver it.

High Elaboration

Leads to the central route to persuasion

Low Elaboration

Leads to the peripheral route to persuasion

Cognitive ability in ELM

Whether the person has the ability to process the information

Time & Attention in ELM

Whether the person has enough time and attention to engage with the message

Utilitarian Function

Develop some attitudes towards a product based on whether the product provides pleasure or pain

Value-expressive Function

We form a product attitude not because of its objective benefits but because of what it says about us and our self-concept.

Ego-defensive Function

Attitudes are formed to protect a person from external threats or internal feelings

Knowledge Function

Some attitudes are formed because of a need for meaning. They create mental shortcuts when faced with ambiguity such as trying a new product for the first time.

Value

What consumers care about, shaping their motivation, brand choices and message strategy

Attribute/ Feature

A unique product or non-product feature directly related to the product

Non-product attribute

Something associated with the product but not directly part of it, such as packaging, price, image or country of origin

Message structure

How the ad makes an argument using claims, evidence and logical reasoning

Source credibility as evidence

Expertise, trustworthiness or relevant fit can act as evidence in central processing.

Expertise as data : Doctor/ engineer testimony (relevant expertise) 

Trustworthiness : Independent Lab, third party verification 

Fitness matters : Athlete

Paradox

An apparent contradiction used to arouse reflective thought

Eg; LED light bulb - “The more you use it, the more you save”

Eg; Opposite of opposite? Leads you in circles - creating a headache. Solution is the aspirin tablet.

Cognitive heuristics

Internally processed shortcuts

Social Heuristics

External cue-based shortcuts

Framing heuristic - Cognitive

The same information is presented in different ways to shape perception

Eg; 80% lean vs 20% fat

• best used when consumers are making a fast emotional based decision

• brand wants to appear safe, rewarding or appealing

• messaging needs to communicate urgency or avoidance to highlight what consumers could loose if action is not taken

• offerings in market are similar ot in differentiated framing can change perception

• compelling messages are needed for compliance

• messaging for emotionally sensitive topics or decisions to empower and provide hope

Price-quality heuristic - Cognitive

“Higher price means better quality”

• best used when consumers are uncertain on how to judge quality and price becomes an easy shortcut

• brand is positioned as premium or lux

• there is limited time to decide and price is used as a fast quality indicator

• the market is saturated and a premium suggests the brand is better than the cheaper alternative

• consumers want status or prestige and paying a premium is part of the brand experience

Familiarity Heuristic - Cognitive

“I recognise it, so it must be good” - used to realise purchase intention from recognition and trust over the unknown, making brand feel like a natural, comfortable choice.

• Best used when consumers are overwhelmed with choices and a familiar brand feels safer and easier to choose

• Purchase is a low involvement - everyday product

• Consumers are rushed or distracted they decide on what they recognise and trust

• Brand trusts need to be built quickly via repeated exposure (logo, slogan, jingle)

• Loyalty and repeat purchase needed so familiarity keeps the brand top of mind

Representativeness heuristic - Cognitive

“This looks like X, so it must be like X” - best used when consumers are not motivated to research/ compare and are using visual and design cues to decide quickly.

• Used to influence fast and intuitive decisions when consumers are not analysing the brand deeply. Involves matching expectations on appearance or associations based on how typical it is to the category standard.

Scarcity - Social

“If it’s rare or limited, it must be valuable” - used to create urgency and drive faster decisions as consumers feel the offering is rare or limited.

• best used when they delay purchasing and need to be “pushed” to act

• Offering is desirable and if “almost gone” the perceived value increased

• Lost opportunity if they wait

• Category is highly competitive and advertisers need buyers to choose and act quickly

Social Proof - social

“If others are buying it, it must be good” - used to show the offering is “popular trusted or widely accepted” : making consumers feel safe as they follow the crowd.

• bested used when there is uncertainty or a need to reassure consumers, eg; trying a new offering or brand

• market is crowded when offerings so heuristics of “bestseller” or “5-star reviews” support easy decision making

• The offering is on-trend or time sensitive

• low cognitive elaboration, so trust many other are doing

• people want to feel part of a group, movement or community

Consistency - social

“I’ve done this before, so I should keep doing this” - used to encourage consumers to make decisions based on repeating past actions, choices or their self image.

• best used when a consumer already has taken an action that we want then to repeat it

• repeated behaviour needs to be encouraged

• identity based choices can be used

• brand wants to reduce anxiety around decisions, so reassurance triggers them to feel comfortable to make the same decision again

• need to maintain loyalty

Liking Heuristic - social

“If I like the person or the brand, I’ll trust and buy from them”

• best used when there is minimal differentiation and emotional connection

• the buying decision is an emotional or personal choice

• their relatable role models that consumers can identify with emotionally, celebrities, influencers or “people like me”

• Low cognitive elaboration so a positive feeling results in a fast decision

• Brand loyalty needs to be build with emotion, rather than sales

Authority heuristic - social

“If an expert recommends it, I can trust it” - used to boost credibility and confidence by showing it’s endorsed by an expert, professional or respected figure.

• best used when there is an uncertainty or risk

• there is a high stake decision (health, safety, money or long term investment”

• the offering is new or unknown, so credibility is created fast by leveraging the reputation of a trusted authority

• Low cognitive elaboration to research, so trust “expert” opinions

• The category is highly competitive and “expert” endorsement differentiates and reassures

Reprocity heuristic - social

“They gave me something, I should give back something” - used to encourage goodwill, build trust quickly and to motivate action by the consumer through offering an upfront gift, benefit or something or value

• best used when consumers are uncertain, hesitant or need extra encouragement to act

• at the start of the brand relationship journey, attracting attention and making a good first impression

• at the start of a brand relationship journey, attracting attention and making a good first impression

• to increase conversion - giving something first lowers the consumer resistance

• to build brand connection and loyalty via reward

• when it is highly competitive environment and consumers feel overwhelmed by choice

Problem / opportunity in creative brief

the belief, attitude or barrier currently blocking the message or the positive belief that can be reinforced.

Communication objective - creative brief

what the audience should think, feel and do as a result of the communication

brand personality

the human characteristics of the brand that direct tone of voice

Unification

an available element of the medium is used to deliver the message

Activation

The viewer is used as a resource to reveal the message

Metaphor

symbols or cognitive frameworks already in the viewers mind are used to deliver the message

Subtraction

Elements of the medium considered indispensable are excluded I

Inversion

Shows how horrible the world would be without the advertised product

Extreme consequences

Presents an extreme or negative situation that happens as a consequence of using or not using the product

Extreme Effort

Presents the exaggerated effort a company will go to please the customer, or the absurd lengths a consumer will go to get the product.

Extreme worth

Takes on attribute or benefit and exaggerates the need or worth of it

Absurd alternative

Presents a possible but highly outlandish and impractical alternative to the product

Customer Journey Mapping

Identifying and analysing the stages a customer goes through when interacting with a brand, then selecting media platforms that match each stage.

Appropriateness Critique

Whether the ad fits the problem, objective, audience insight, benefit, proposition, RTB, personality and persuasive route.

Appropriateness Orginality

Whether the ad has a fresh, differentiated, simple and create idea

Critiques : problem/ objectives/ target audience/ insight / benefit / RTB/ Route, heuristics, appeal

does the ad successfully address the defined problem and objectives, resonate with the target audience, and effectively utilize insight, benefit, RTB, and persuasive route.