Theories & Principles
Media Studies: Eduqas GCSE, topic 2.3.4
The AIDA Principle and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
The AIDA Principle and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are both strategies for attracting an audience in advertising.
Viral marketing
- Advertisers increasingly use viral marketing via social media and the internet to directly target products on consumers based on things like their search history or online profile.
The AIDA Principle
- Another common strategy for attracting an audience in advertising is the AIDA principle which refers to:
- Attention
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Often advertisers will try and appeal to our basic needs as identified by Maslow.
- These include:
- Physiological needs - food, water, sleep, air etc.
- Safety needs - insurance, property, employment.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs cont.
- Love/belonging needs - friendships, family, sexual relationships.
- Esteem needs - self esteem, confidence, respect.
- Self actualisation - problem solving, acceptance of facts, creativity, morality.
Uses and Gratifications Theory: Blumler and Katz
Uses and Gratifications Theory suggests that audiences actively use the media for specific reasons.
Information
- Some media products are used to find out information about the world.
- E.g. news and documentaries.
- But public health and charity adverts may also provide information about the world that audiences may find beneficial.
Personal identity
- Often we can identify with characters or situations we experience through the media.
- Therefore media producers try and use this to attract audiences.
- Advertisers will also often use techniques to try and make you identify with the models/actors and even aspire to be like them.
Social interaction
- Some media products can generate discussion and debate and can help people form common bonds based on similar interests.
- Examples of this in advertising may be adverts like the John Lewis Christmas adverts.
Entertainment/diversion
- Some media products provide a sort of escapism from everyday life and divert our attention away from real-life issues.
Reception Theory: Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory states that advertisers will use a range of techniques to try and position the audience to guide them to the preferred reading.
Psychographics
- Advertisers will often categorise audiences based on their psychographic profile which is based on personality traits.
- This includes categories such as:
- Mainstreamers (people who go along with what is most popular).
- Aspirers (people who will buy products that make them ‘better’ people).
- Individualists (those who like to be different).
Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory
- This states that advertisers will use a range of techniques to try and position the audience to guide them to the preferred reading.
- It is important to identify any ways in which a negotiated or oppositional reading might be taken of an advert.
Test yourself on Theories & Principles
Which of the following is NOT a physiological need?
Which psychographic category do people who 'buy products that make them ‘better’ people' fit?