Verified Document

Mass Communications Applying Mass Communication Theories What Term Paper

Mass Communications Applying Mass Communication Theories

What traps should communicators avoid in using fear appeals in their messages?

Fear is an emotion and messages that appeal to emotions must tread not so much lightly, but rather, quite meticulously, especially when calling upon an emotion such as fear. Successful marketing campaigns of the 21st century often use the approach of marketing more than a brand; they brand a lifestyle choice and/or a personality. (Who's wearing the trousers?, 2001) Communicators should avoid marketing lifestyles or personalities that are intensely fearful. Therefore, when communicators use fear appeals in their messages, they should avoid a lack of specificity. Fear is an irrational emotion and has the potential to spread rapidly. If communicators utilize fear appeals in their messages, they should articulate the object of fear and the quality of the fear quite specifically. Use of the ego-defensive function and the value-expressive function proves effective. (Chapter 13) The ego-defensive function acts as protection of the consumer from threats or perceptions of threats. (Chapter 13) When using fear appeals in communications for such products and services as insurance, hygiene, security systems, etc., communicators must strike a balance between use of the fear appeal that influences or causes consumers to buy, and between going overboard, inciting excessive anxiety or panic.

Communicators may choose to avoid the trap of using fear appeals in their messages at all. True, there are cases where fear acts as a great motivator and influence over behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions. Fear is not the most effective motivator and requires a great deal of effort to sustain. Though more marketers shift toward branding lifestyle or personality rather than simply a product, marketers struggle to engineer, create,...

(Who's wearing the trousers?, 2001) Fear is an unstable emotion inherently. Marketers struggle to create and sustain the intended feelings in consumers; thus, using fear appeals in messages should be avoided when possible and at least approach with gravity and awareness.
2. Suggest an event or experience in your country that has influenced your society's reality.

The advent of motion pictures and the cinema is an event that has created experiences that influence my society's reality. There are those artists, critics, theorists, philosophers, scientists, market analysts, moguls, and fans that argue that without the cinema, there would be no television, and television is a fundamental aspect to American and world cultures. Motion pictures, films, movies, the cinema -- whichever term one chooses -- this experience and event has changed human culture and the human experience of reality in ways still evident today. The film industry and institutions within it such as Hollywood are parts of history. Before the cinema, there was no comparable medium that communicated messages to large audiences visually.

Movies changed the ways in which people imagine themselves, imagine their lives, and how they perceive the world. Soundtracks and sound effects as part of movies, as well as radio and television, engage audiences' minds influencing their experience of reality as well. In the 21st century, many people around the world plug headphones or earbuds into their mobile devices, listening to music, books, language learning, and more while they move through their days. The cinematic experience occurs within the confines of the theater and implants itself into the psyches of consumers. Consumers process the experience of the media representation (film). Consumers consciously or unconsciously perceive…

Sources used in this document:
References:

Brand-Building: Chapter 10 -- Public Relations, 224 -- 236.

The case for brands. 2001. Economist, 360(8238), 11. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, 2012 April 06.

Part Three -- Purchase and Acquisition: Chapter 13 -- Attitude Models and Consumer Decision Making, 456 -- 493.

Who's wearing the trousers? 2001. Economist, 360(8238), 26 -- 28. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, 2012 April 06.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Communication Theory Attribution Theory in
Words: 1281 Length: 4 Document Type: Research Paper

Here, people always attribute causes to actions and happenings, with the belief that everything has an explanation only if we could look deeper enough (Changing Minds, 2011). This theory serves to show how people have very different perspectives to happenings or events in the daily lives, and these varying views can easily stray into power imbalance, prejudice and such like vices ultimately affecting the communication process. Under attribution theory, there

Communication Theory
Words: 2156 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

media equation theory and its applications. The author of this paper uses the movie The Truman Show to develop an understanding for the reader of what the Media Equation Theory is and how it can be applied to media examples such as the movie. There were six sources used to complete this paper. The paper is in MLA format. MEDIA THEORY IN PRACTICE The technological explosion of the last three decades

Communication Theories
Words: 1585 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Skilss in Interpersonal, Group and Organizational Communications The objective of this study is to examine interpersonal communication and spoken skills. This work will examine communication skills using the theories of Pragmatic Perspective, Psychological Perspective, Social Constructionist, and social responsibility theory. Trenholm (2008) states that communication "is very important to everyone. One form of communication that occurs among individuals is known as interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is a term "reserved for

Business Communication Theory
Words: 1069 Length: 4 Document Type: Book Review

Business Communication Theory This work conducts an examination of five different books or articles on business communication theory and reports on each of these works. Cornelissen and Business Communication Theory The first work under review is that of Joep Cornelissen entitled "Understanding the Development nd Diffusion of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) A Metaphorical Perspective" reports that recently "theoretical commentaries and empirical research" regarding the conceptualization of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) have been concerned

Mass Communication Why Are Books Considered "Mass"
Words: 1220 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Mass Communication Why are books considered "mass" media when a popular hardcover book might sell only 100,000 or 200,000 copies? Include in your discussion a definition of mass media and give examples of books that have had a significant impact on a mass audience. Books are considered mass media due to their widespread appeal rather than physical book sales. Books are unique in that the notions imbedded within them often transcend tradition

Communication: Workplace Reflective Practice Reflective Practice...
Words: 3961 Length: 15 Document Type: Essay

Communication: Workplace Reflective Practice Reflective practice entails constant monitoring of one's own performance in a given role while making adjustments where necessary. For any profession, reflective practice is essential since not two cases will ever be the same thus, it is critical to always remain reactive and reflective. Several studies have ascertained that reflective practice is beneficial when it comes to the delivery of client-centered services, and assist an individual

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now