<B>> You delivered a public lecture on ?How to communicate to a mass audience? at the University of Mauritius last week. What were the main themes you covered? </B>

The key question that was addressed was: Are we aiming at ?the people?. i.e., the mass market? To the extent that a mass market is made up of several specific markets or segments, hitting the target audience is important. There are some advertising truths that should be applied.

First, one must fish where the fish are. You need to know whom you want to communicate to, where they are. You must understand people?s expectations, needs and problems (ENP). If you can show people how to solve their problems, then they you are going to be successful.

<B>> But do people react to the advertising message in the same way? </B>

People respond differently to advertising messages based on their involvement level. In mass communication, we can have one message but that message means different things to different people. The advertiser must differentiate between the factors that motivate people and the nice-to-know factors. Every industry has a non-negotiable element (e.g. safety in the airline industry), some motivational factors (that would motivate someone to buy a particular product) and factors that are nice to know but that are not fundamental to the purchase decision.

<B>> How do you make this happen? </B>

We need to have clear objectives. This involves many planning issues. You should know whom you are not aiming at and understand what the advertising should do. The buzzword is target audience. You should pinpoint whom you want to communicate with and use research to gain insights into what they need, what will motivate them and what will persuade them.

Consumer insights are important in that they give a clear idea of market trends and help marketers appreciate how people will react to a particular advert.

One must know for what purpose the message is being used. Is it merely to inform, to change attitudes, to build an image, to strengthen beliefs or to persuade to act?

<B>> Our era is experiencing an explosion of information. The chance that a message might go unnoticed is pretty high?</B>

There are several reasons why people ignore advertising messages. Sometimes messages do not attract attention. At times, they are not visibly different from others. The message to which people pay attention is one which is simple, credible, original, relevant and empathetic. There are some truths that should always be remembered. For instance, a picture is worth a thousand words. Most people only see headlines and the visual. Furthermore, it is easier to reinforce attitudes than to change them. But you can still use a long copy as long as it is cleverly presented.

There is also a need to develop a clear positioning for your organization, cause or brand. You can?t give half a meaning. You must communicate fully.

<B>> How do you choose the channel of communication that will best carry the message to the target audience?</B>

The various media options have their pros and cons. The target market behaviour and media usage patterns largely dictate the choice of media. Other factors including frequency, reach, impact and cost are also considered.

Media planning is an important part of making the best of a chosen channel. Media fragmentation makes planning difficult. One should not fragment one?s budget but should rather try media domination. Small ads must be avoided where the media landscape is encumbered. The marketer must use media creatively to achieve an outcome. Unlimited budgets only exist in dreams. Budgets should be kept under control.

The proper timing is critical here, as the opportunity may close fast. The right strategy at the wrong time is worthless. It?s far better to make a big impact at the right time than to go for a gradual diffusion of the message. The message might get dissolved over time and fail to create the desired impact.