Communication – we all do it, every day most often times without even thinking about it. Exactly what is communication? By definition communication is the exchange of information between individuals (PSU, 2020). Let’s talk a bit about egocentrism and other errors (noise or biases) that can occur when communicating. Egocentrism is the inability to take on other people’s perspectives (PSU, 2020). People who experience this believe that others only think, feel and experience life as they do. They often make incorrect assumptions when they are encoding or decoding messages. It is common in children and even adolescence, but often carries over into adulthood. This can occur during message creation and interpretation. Communication does not necessarily mean understanding and can easily be taken out of context.
Advertising is one such form of communication. It is a way that merchants appeal to potential customers via television, newspapers, social media, etc. One example of a questionable advertisement is the following:
Love Cosmetics, 1975. This campaign used a suggestive image of a prepubescent girl, apparently forgetting that women were its target audience. Photograph: Wells, Rich, Greene Agency, 1975.
This is offensive in several ways, especially to women and children. It is ironic that women were in fact the very market base of consumers who they were appealing to purchase their products. This ad appeared in 1975, and I am sure the originator did not intend for the receiver to be troubled by the image. Thankfully, times have changed and we do not see exploitation of children anymore, however sexually suggestive ads still occur.
Another example of in the world of communication involves cultural factors. Intercultural communication is a process whereby individuals from different cultural backgrounds attempt to share meanings (Moran, Harris & Moran, 2011). With the complexity of different cultures and languages, the opportunity for egocentrism definitely presents itself, especially if using email as the form of communication. An initial introduction can also fall victim to miscommunication as demonstrated by the following cartoon showcasing non-verbal communication:
Photo credit: www.global-integration.com
Non-verbal signs and gestures or body language are used in all cultures and a gesture can mean one thing to an American individual yet that simple gesture can have a different meaning to someone in Japan.
Here are a few tips that will help you effectively communicate, and hopefully avoid your own communication errors. First, be respectful and be sure to make sure your message is clear. Be sure to listen to the person you are communicating with and try to remove all biases prior, which will lead to a good exchange of information. Recognize that your exact knowledge, beliefs and perceptions are unique and only valid for yourself (Moran, Harris & Moran, 2011). Demonstrate empathy and have a tolerance for ambiguity. Lastly, I have learned to know your audience or who you are communicating with in advance. A little bit of history and research can become very valuable to get your point across, come to an agreement or make a sale.
References:
Moran, R., Harris, P., & Moran, S. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences (8th ed., p. 39 – 49). Burlington: Butterworth Heinemann.
Forbes Council (2020). Council Post: 15 Ways To Overcome Communication Errors As A Business Leader. Retrieved 17 September 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/08/24/15-ways-to-overcome-communication-errors-as-a-business-leader/#7c19d4cb6ea5
Samuel,
Thank you for your comments. I selected this image as a female, however I should have reinforced that while the majority of the time the focus on females, the over sexualization in advertising also incorporates males. Feel free to take a look at this image in an ad for Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shirtless-men-the-new-big_b_3314238
I am not sure what the theory was in utilizing an attractive, shirtless male was for salad dressing. As a woman who would find the ad potentially appealing, I can tell you it will not influence my decision when I am at the grocery store. It instead looks as if he should be a model for a male cologne. It really is an interesting process to see how some of these decisions are made and how they may try to influence consumers.
You have picked a really interesting topic to write about. Communication in marketing and advertising is a touchy subject. There are so many manipulations in the way that advertising is done to reach certain groups. The oversexualization of women and children for the male gaze is a serious topic. It would be easy to say the advertiser in the ad you highlighted was not trying to sexualize a woman who appeared to be a teenager. However, it is obvious to even the most casual viewer that that was the message. The classic image of a “Lolita” type teenage girl is something that has been used again and again. Advertisers use this imagery because they assume society has been so conditioned to these kinds of messages, that even women will see it and want to be like the image. I hope this kind of communication is changing, but Im not so sure.
When attempting to communicate across various countries, cultures, and dynamics, it is important to have the appropriate people at the table. What is viewed as proper and respectful in one situation may be deemed utterly disrespectful or an international crisis. For example, former first lady Michelle Obama views hugging as an endearment. However, when she hugged Queen Elizabeth, she was roundly criticized. In the 1975 advertisement you referenced, it is highly likely that in 1975 women were not seated at the PR table. If a woman was at the decision table, I do not that advertisement would have been distributed.
It is difficult to remove all biases. However, it is important to recognize, acknowledge, and mitigate biases. To accomplish, a leader must be exposed to various cultures, traditions, and dynamics. It is difficult to understand your audience if you have not been exposed to your audience. Diversity is the key to effective communication. Diversity broadens knowledge and increases opportunities for effective communication. The lack of cultural diversity, “which refers to the differences between people because of their culture of origin”, can create a significant barrier to effective communication (PSU, 2020). Surface-level diversity or the demographic differences do not consider the differences within the group or “the things that distinguish individuals from others within the group” (PSU, 2020). To effectively communicate across borders and culture, communicators must also embrace deep-level diversity or “the differences in beliefs, values, and attitudes” (PSU, 2020). Effective communication requires a commitment to ensuring the sender’s message is the same message that the message receiver is receiving.
Reference:
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2020). OLEAD 410, Section 001, (FA20): Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2075490/modules