Emily Dvorchak

Consumer Behavior Tu/Th 3:30pm

Dr. Verrochi Coleman
27 February 2014

ELM Analysis Movie Theaters

In the found magazine advertisement, GNC Cinemas is leveraging the peripheral route to
persuasion using three Dalmatian puppies and a little girl dressed as Cruella Deville. These
stimuli are cute and humorous, and serve as peripheral cues that create likeability and an
emotional appeal for viewers. Details regarding the theater itself are printed in a tiny font that
barely stands out against the advertisements background. Here, GNC recognizes that when
utilizing the peripheral route, message content is not of much importance. Rather, consumers
look for a peripheral cue and change their attitudes based on that.
In contrast, the created direct mailing advertisement leverages the central route to
persuasion. The advertisement focuses heavily on the movie theater itself, and does not offer a
peripheral cue of any kind. Detailed product information is included in the message content, and
thus an attempt is made to address the needs of all high-involvement consumers receiving this
mail. The extensive list of features exhibits the importance of message content when utilizing the
central route, and is intended for those who will diligently process the arguments.
To make these messages more persuasive, the companies could try to leverage both
routes of persuasion at once by presenting detailed product specifications along with a peripheral
cue. This way, the message would reach both types of route processors. Of the two messages, the
direct mailing could probably incorporate these plans more easily. Since its detailed information
already tailors to involved and motivated consumers, it need only insert an attractive person or
cute child to serve as a peripheral cue. This would only increase the likelihood of consumers
viewing and processing the message. In contrast, the magazine advertisement might have a
difficult time incorporating message factors that leverage the central route. If GNC increases the
amount and complexity of theater specifications in the ad, or makes the existing ones larger and

more noticeable, it may need to compensate by reducing the size and prevalence of the cute girl
and Dalmatian puppies. With a less noticeable peripheral cue, the advertisement might lose its
attention-grabbing ability as people flip through the magazine.
This reflects the fact that different media channels have different effects on the choice of
persuasion route. If the message exists in a context where consumers are distracted and exposed
to many other stimuli, the peripheral route is probably the optimal choice. Because the direct
mailing contains extensive product information and a large number of arguments, it likely would
not succeed on a billboard or on a magazine page. Consumers drive quickly past billboards and
page rapidly through magazines, and they do not have the opportunity to sift through a list of
detailed product specifications. Likewise, in a situation where consumers have sufficient time
and motivation to process a message diligently, the central route is more effective for persuasion.
This suggests that the GNC ad would not work as well if mailed to consumers. It does not offer a
strong argument supported by much information, and the message probably would not be very
persuasive if consumers were to read it without distraction.
As is, the created persuasive message relates to the media preferences of the target
market. Since college students in Oakland do not receive a large amount of mail, they have
sufficient opportunity to process this item. They also have the cognitive ability to decipher its
information. Since the topic is very relevant to their life, they should be sufficiently motivated.
However, as a manager I might question the branding strategy of this ad. It emphasizes the fact
that the theater is new, but the ABC Theaters brand does not stand out in any way. ABC needs
a logo or brand specific design that can extend to other communication pieces. Will future ads
always contain the yellow and white lights and red seating? This would be something on which
the company would need to agree in order to ensure a successful integrated brand strategy.

Work Cited
Praia de Belas: A brand new movie theater. 2 Print Ad. Coloribus Creative
Advertising Archive. Lixil Graphics Ltd., May 2012. Web. 25 February 2014.