Marketing Communications

156 CHAPTER 5 OBJECTIVES

action. Since the DAGMAR^1 (Defi ning Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results)

model was published in 1961 by Russell Colley, communications goals have emphasised the

current stage of the buyer or potential buyer in the purchase process rather than just immediate

sales eff ects. Th is insight also helped marketers to use measurable goals since communications

eff ects on sales were all but impossible to isolate due to interaction eff ects with other marketing

mix variables.^2 Th e communications eff ects or goals that are distinguished in the DAGMAR

model are shown in Figure 5.2.

Th e DAGMAR model is essentially a hierarchy-of-eff ects model, similar to those discussed

earlier. It is frequently used as a framework to defi ne communications goals. To get a person

or organisation to buy a product that was not bought before, or to increase the frequency or

quantity of repeat buying, a consumer will normally go through the phases shown in Figure 5.2.

According to the DAGMAR model, during the communications process nine eff ects can be

established. When a marketer is defi ning his or her communications strategies, he or she will

have to select the most appropriate communications eff ect or goals from the list above. Every

promotional campaign should be organised with one of these communications objectives in

mind. Th e choice of the right goals depends on the problems that have arisen in the preliminary

situation analysis of the market, brand positions, competition, opportunities and threats. In

that sense, communications objectives are only an intermediary way to reach marketing goals

of a higher order, such as sales volumes, market share, distribution penetration, etc.

A good set of communications goals should have a number of characteristics. It should:^3

z fi t in with the overall company and marketing goals;

z be relevant to the identifi ed problems and specifi c to cope with threats or to build on

opportunities in the market;

z be targeted at diff erent target audiences, which implies that diff erent target groups (such

as countries, socio-demographic groups, heavy and light users) could need diff erent

communications objectives;

Figure 5.2 Communications objectives: the DAGMAR model

Source : Colley, R.H. (1961), Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results. New York: Association of National

Advertisers.

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