ELM analysis of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Advertising Template

                    ELM analysis of the American Society for the Prevention of 

                            Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Advertising Template

Advertising in today’s society has become ubiquitous. From traditional print ads to magazine ads, billboard ads, and electronic ads, advertising has become not only more sophisticated, but also so prevalent in our daily lives that many ads are seen almost as old, familiar friends rather than an effort to sell you something. Religious pamphlets handed out on school campuses; free pens and water bottles emblazoned with the names of products or businesses; or even just a simple coupon offering 50 percent off a certain product or service -- these are all forms of advertising that we encounter just about everywhere we turn, from bus stops and retail stores to supermarkets and even the mail slots in our front doors. And, of course, advertisements are omnipresent on the Internet.

In today’s world, many people spend the majority of their day in front of a computer or some kind of electronic device.This trend has been accelerating over the years as electronics become more indispensable to our lives, integrating all our devices into an ever-expanding world of informational possibilities. Students study online. People watch news, make friends, book reservations, pay bills, express feelings, follow

recipes, shop, sell, and even talk to people from disparate corners of the world -- all online. Because of the infinite number of things people can do online, Internet advertising is everywhere. The ads may come in different forms -- videos, audios, photos, or just plain text -- but they all share the same undeniable purpose: Get the audience to do what is being asked of them. Buy this product Make that donation. Vote for this party. Download that app. The demands on the vast majority of us who use electronic devices are so endless that one wonders how they became so routine.

Common to all advertisements is the Elaboration Likelihood Model Theory (ELM), which posits that when a persuader presents information to an audience, a level of “elaboration” results. "Elaboration" refers to the amount of effort an audience member has to make to process and evaluate a message, remember it, and then accept or reject it. The model suggests that people express either a high or a low level of effort when they encounter a persuasive message. The level of elaboration then determines which processing route the message takes, either central or peripheral.

Central route processing means the audience cares more about the message of an advertisement than the emotional triggers that it is designed to set off. The audience will pay attention and scrutinize the quality and strength of the argument, regardless of the salesmanship in which it is clothed. In contrast, peripheral route processing happens on a more superficial level. The audience pays less attention to the message itself while being influenced by secondary factors such as source credibility, visual appeal, presentation, enticements for food, and/or humor.

To illustrate the difference between central and peripheral route processing, and how messaging design can be used to address both routes simultaneously, consider the advertising template of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). In this ad, the message is that animals are forced to live in agonizing conditions without shelter, food, or water, and that time is running out on them. However, as a viewer of the ad, you are told that you can save them by donating $19 per month. While all can agree that it is disconcerting to see the images of such sad and malnourished animals, viewers absorb the ad's message in different ways. Imagine two audiences, both young, both filled with animal lovers, and both filled with college students. College student #1 comes from a family of substantial wealth and never had to worry about paying her bills. She lived most of her life in a bubble, and she gets emotionally unsettled by the idea of animals suffering. Videos and photos of distressed animals torment her, and she would do anything to prevent animal cruelty. College student #2, in turn, comes from a median-income family. She also is a pet lover and hates seeing animals suffer. She entertains the idea of making donations to animal causes, but insists that her donations be used exactly as she specifies. She would rather volunteer at the shelter for abused animals and give her help first-hand than make monthly donations and not really know how those donations are spent.

In both cases, the ELM model is used. Both students reacted, to some degree, with a level of elaboration to the advertisement’s message. College student #1, the one who made the donations, took in the advertisement via the peripheral route using the “suffering” of animals to make donations. No deep thinking was done on her part. She was not skeptical of whether or how her donations would be used for the suffering animals. Her actions were driven by her emotions. College student #2, in contrast, did do the deep thinking. She was more engaged in the message of the advertisement. She struggled while watching the animals and the condition they were in. Despite her profound sadness and her desire to see the animals saved, she was hesitant to make donations because she was skeptical of how her donations were going to be used. She would rather help in a way that is more personal and direct, such as volunteering at the animal shelter. College student #2 absorbed the message of the advertisement via the central route.

References: Nguyen, Jennifer. ASPCA Commercial (Sad Song). Dec 10, 2010. Advertisement. retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKUnq3bAfTQ