Analysis of "This is PR..." (part 13)

Theoretical Underpinnings for PR

Part 5

by:

Charles Lamson

The Texture of a Message

Once you know which needs and values you want to appeal to, you understand the purpose of your message and which persuasive appeal is likely to work; then you can chose the texture of the message for its persuasive effect. The medium dictates to some extent the range of textures. Television has a wide range - color, design, movement and sound. A computer has all of these, plus interactive control. However, pictures and sound on computers are still not as good as TV. In print, the size shape and feel of an object - as people.trained in graphics know - may determine whether a brochure is picked up, whether a package is taken off a supermarket shelf and whether an ad catches people's attention (This is PR: The Reality of Public Relations by Doug Newsom, Judy VanSlyke Turk and Dean Kruckeberg, pg. 134).

Motivational studies involving texture need to be interpreted by public relations practitioners as well as by marketing people in approaching particular problems. For example, most business people will not respond to a questionnaire printed on hot pink, little response to one on blue, but will give many answers to a questionnaire printed in green, beige or white (Newsom, Turk, Kruckeberg, pg. 134).

Most of us psychologically favor certain colors. This is likely to manifest itself in our choice of colors for clothes, cars and furniture. The public relations person needs to know which colors will appeal to a particular audience and how well those colors reproduce in the medium chosen for communicating with that audience. One despairing art director after having to change colors for a campaign owing to problems in reproducing them in different media, said with some resignation. "I'm ready to go back to the basics: red, white and blue," a safe choice after 9/11  (Newsom, Turk, Kruckeberg, pg. 134).

Nonverbal symbols are also part of a message's texture. Be particularly careful to avoid those that suggest bias, such as a woman standing beside a man seated at a desk or an ethnic or racial minority in a subservient posture in relation to a majority figure. Nonverbal cues say things that words do not and today's diverse and culturally sensitive audiences will be quick to notice them. Be sure that the semblance your message projects matches your intentions. Well chosen nonverbal ques can greatly enhance the message communicated by the accompanying word. Carelessly chosen cues can completely destroy an intended message and alienate an audience  (Newsom, Turk, Kruckeberg, pg. 134).

End