Hypothetically, you have just invented a product you think is the next great thing for a particular audience. Briefly describe the product and develop a message to persuade your target audience to buy this product. Include a description of the setting of the message.
The emergence of digital technology has greatly contributed to erasure of visual art, which entails drawing and painting images on a supported surface. This can be attributed to the fact that high quality cameras that produce equally high definition images have eliminated the need for artists to capture real life images through art. The fact that painting these images is time consuming compared to capturing of images through cameras which takes place within seconds has also been a contributing factor. Considering the fact that there are people that still need to be appreciated for their skills in fine art, there is need to ease their painting by making it fast and better, to produce the images faster and more efficiently.
Putting this factor into consideration, I came up with the idea of making special kind of eye glasses that enhance the visibility of the image being created. These glasses use the concept of the three-dimensional perception of images, an aspect that is very important in art work. On wearing these glasses, an individual perceives everything he sees with depth, including flat surfaces. In bright light environments, these glasses reduce illumination for the wearer, while the reverse happens in the dark. The color-determination feature that comes with these glasses facilitates painting, as a painter is able to determine the color that should be applied on a particular part of a drawing. Coupling handiness and stylishness, this device makes painting fun, and every artist should just own a pair.
a) How would having a comprehensive understanding of several theories of social influence help an individual design a more effective mass-mediated persuasive message?
Understanding the theories of social influence is important to the persuader in identifying the most appropriate measures that should be taken to influence the targeted persons, to convince them enough to purchase a particular product. Proper persuasive strategies should make the individuals involved to find the necessity of a product, regardless of earlier ideas on the same product. Understanding of these theories helps the persuasive concept to be enhanced owing to the fact that the target’s perception is influenced logically (logos), emotionally (pathos) and in terms of character (ethos).
Considering the fact that persuasion can be determined by the degree of similarity between position presented in the message and the individual’s current attitudes and beliefs, making up a message that can change the mentality of the individual is very important. For this reason, the Social Judgment Theory is fundamental in facilitating persuasion of the audience.
The Elaboration Likelihood Theory is also fundamental in constructing messages that are convincing to the target audience. In this context, peripheral messages, which use cues, are useful in constructing convincing business-oriented messages (Perloff, 1993). This can be attributed to the fact that use of flowery language is vital in making this kind of impact on the audience. The kind of language is a determining factor on how well it will be received by the targeted audience, directly determining the kind of sales that would be made from marketing the product (Sabrina, 2006). To ensure that the audience’s mood is not negatively influenced by the kind of advertisement I make based on their original perception towards similar kinds of products, it is of importance to incorporate the mass-mediated advertisement with user friendly themes. For instance, in advertising my glasses, I would use perfectly made portraits as samples of the kind of work that can be produced with the assistance of the glasses. Making the target audience to understand the function and the advantage that a product bears over other similar products is part of the convincing strategies that are essential in marketing of the product in question (Gass, 2004).
b) How did this understanding influence the decisions you made regarding your persuasive message above?
Understanding the importance of applying social influence theories in producing this product for sale was important in planning my marketing strategies. For instance, knowing well about the Elaboration Likelihood Theory helped me identify about Centrally Processed Messages, which is important basing the fact that my product needs factual information to be given to the target audience, who will need to find logic in the need to use the product (Garcia, 2008). The strength of the argument for the use of the product therefore needs to be enhanced, for my products to be purchased. With knowledge about Cognitive Dissonance Theory, I was able to recognize the fact that human beings desire consistency among their attitudes and beliefs. In identifying the type of strategies I would use to convince my audience, I had to learn to come up with ideas that would neither affect beliefs nor the attitudes of the audience in target. The understanding of the theories about social relations was therefore helpful in facilitating my ability to make a message that would convince the target audience to purchase my product.
References
DeFleur, M. L., & Ball-Rokeach, S. B. (1989). Theories of mass communication. (5thed.) New York: Longman.
Gass, R. (2004). Perspectives on persuasion, social influence, and compliance gaining. California: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
Garcia, V.(21st November 2008). Mighty students. Advantages and Limitations of the ELM theory Applying it to Consumers Perception of Persuasive Messages Created by Organic Food Retailers. Retrieved from: http://www.mightystudents.com/essay/Advantages.Limitations.ELM.66560
Sabrina R. (24th October 2006). Associated content: Applying Cognitive Dissonance Theory to Real World Events. Retrieved from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2321564/applying_cognitive_dissonance_theor y.html
