Assignment Title: Weekly Integration Assignment 07
Date: 30 April 2021
1. After reviewing chapters 14, 15, 16, and 17 of the Kotler and Keller text, and using specific information
derived from the text, provide a brief comment about each of the following:
a. The benefit to an organization of formulating an effective communications plan; please include
an assessment of the benefit of organizational understanding of the response hierarchy model
when planning (consider information from pages 224 – 228 of the text and any previous
chapters covered to date). Please use appropriate APA citation and attribution rules for all
information sources.
Formulating an effective communications plan begins with identifying and profiling the
specific audience of choice. This allows the organization to ask the right questions and
construct ways to communicate the needed message with clarity. An effective
communications plan enables an organization to build brand awareness and brand attitude
as well as influence prospective brand purchase. In addition, a strong customer relationship
and loyalty can be achieved. With an effective communications plan, an organization will
be able to utilize the appropriate message strategy, the suitable creative strategy, and the
right message source to achieve the desired consumers’ responses. The formulation of an
effective communications plan allows an organization to select the best channel or
compatible mix of channels for communicating, develop a cost-effective budget of
communication, decide on the right media mix, design the right Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the communications, and manage the integrated
marketing communications efficiently (Kotler & Keller, 2016, pp. 248-252).
Understanding the Response Hierarchy Models (RHMs) when planning helps an
organization to identify and comprehend consumers’ thought processes and specific
responses at different stages from unawareness of the products to the action of buying the
products (Kotler & Keller, 2016, p. 248). Kotler & Keller (2016, p. 249) illustrate four
types of RHMs by using a diagram to explain the thought processes and behaviors of
consumers across three stages: cognitive, affective, and behavior.
The AIDA model is an acronym coined from the consumer behavior through the stages of
the hierarchy model. Attention is the point when consumers become aware of the product
(cognitive stage), Interest and Desire is the point where the potential consumers show
concern and aspire to buy (affective stage), and Action is the actual act of purchasing the
product (behavior stage). Organizations can use this model to invigorate the emotions of
consumers and produce the desired response through advertisements. Hierarchy-of-Effects
model consists of six phases. The customer is notified about the product at the awareness
phase and starts to understand the advantages of the product at the knowledge phase, both
phases constitute the cognitive stage. The liking, preference and conviction phases make
up the affective stage where the customer is well informed of the details and benefits of the
product such that the customer is convinced to buy the specific brand that has been
communicated. The purchase phase is the actual buying of the product, which is the
behavior stage, thus achieving the desired result.
Innovation-Adoption model consist of five phases. The awareness phase which is
synonymous to the attention phase in AIDA model (cognitive stage). Interest and
evaluation phases are the points where customers are triggered by information and become
curious about the product which will lead to deeper and luring understanding of the product
(affective stage). Trial and adoption phases are points where the potential customers try the
product and then make a final decision to purchase the product (behavior stage). Obviously,
when an organization understands the RHMs during planning, the desired consumers’
responses are often achieved.
b. How an organization can select the most effective advertising campaign to reach the target
audience and promote the organization’s positioning. Include a brief assessment of the brand
equity impact for inadequate campaign planning (consider information from pages 236 – 241
and all other appropriate chapters of the text covered to date). Please use appropriate APA
citation and attribution rules for all information sources.
In choosing the most effective advertising campaign, an organization must address five
specific issues; establish the advertising objectives (Mission), estimate the required budget
to make the campaign a success (Money), the accuracy of the content to be communicated
(Message), the cost-effective way of communicating the content (Media), and evaluate the
outcomes (Measurement) (Kotler & Keller, 2016, p. 260).
