Hierarchy-of-effects Advertising Model

This Model is mostly used for effectiveness of advertising and measuring the influence and impact of advertising on consumer decision of buying or not to buying a product or service. As a result of a good advertising, the hierarchy of effects can help to show the procedure of learning and decision making of a consumer experiences to purchase or not to purchase.

This hierarchy mostly used to create a structured series of advertising message objectives for a certain service or product, and making each and every successive objective would be the goal of this model until the actual act of sale happens.

• Awareness
• Knowledge
• Liking
• Preference
• Conviction
• Purchase

are consider as the main objectives of hierarchy of effects.

The hierarchy of effects theory is one of the best and persuasive advertising strategies with the purchase product approach through the stages of hierarchy and well designed for brand awareness over certain time.

A marketer goal would be a guide for a potential consumer to pass through all the stages of hierarchy of effects, but most companies prefers strategies with immediate decision making of customer purchase but the actual customer should go through all these stages.

There are some associated behaviors with this hierarchy which can be as follows: Think, feel, do, cognitive, affective, conative behavior

Hierarchy of Effects Theory phases

awareness (knowledge or cognitive) phase is when the potential consumer is informed about a product or service. Information is very important because the process of the given information by the customer is the first impression of the product or service in the mind.
This is vital for advertisers that in this phase key brand information presents in a useful way and comprehensible that persuade the potential customer to get more information and make a connection with a product or service.

Awareness:
Awareness is the most essential stage and the starting step to purchase. Brands have to be certified that the consumer is fully aware of the brand in a specific product/service segment. Example:
if Tina (as a potential customer) decide to purchase a toothbrush and you are the CMO of Colgate brand and want her to buy a toothbrush from your brand, first thing to do is to make sure that you did a good job at advertising of brand awareness and Tina as a customer is aware that Colgate has toothbrushes.

Knowledge:
This phase would be the one that compare your brand against others by the potential customer. You have to make sure that there is enough positive and definite information about your brand everywhere that customer would search for something like that: at retail stores, internet and product packaging itself.
Now Tina is aware that there is a Colgate brand for toothbrushes and she is figuring out the benefits and features all the toothbrushes brands are offering.
liking (preference or affective) phase is when customers form their feelings towards the brand, so in this phase advertisers don’t concentrate on a product or service but instead they try to appeal to a consumer’s values, emotions, self-esteem or lifestyle.

Liking:
Liking phase is when the consumer likes your product. This is when your product is being concentrated for its emotional benefits: Make sure to be outstanding.
When Tina has measured the pros & cons of buying a Colgate toothbrushes but she is not sure about the color, because she doesn’t like the colors of Colgate brushes or might think that this brush would be better for old people.
You as the CMO of Colgate must be sure that all the essential factors that would have the emotionally effect on the potential customer is considered in marketing communication programs.

Preference:
In this phase the customer might be persuaded to try your product/service but may like other brands of toothbrush too. So in this step what would convince her to use Colgate over the other ones? “the differentiations” Or unique selling features have to be highlighted so persuade the customer use your brand. Tina at this time might thinking actually purchasing Colgate toothbrush. But there is problem here: is she considering that she buy Colgate for just trying it once or is her next purchase would be Colgate too?
Conviction phase (purchase or conative) concentrate on actions. It is when advertising are trying to persuade the customers to act on the information they are given before and learned about the product and also the connection they have make with a brand.
This phase would be the variation of ideas and doubts about product or service buying. In such situations, advertising try to persuade the potential consumer that they absolutely need this product, presumable by sampling. also advertisers have to make customers trust the brand by concentrating on the great quality and other essential features of the brand.

Conviction:
Conviction phase is when the uncertainty in customer mind about purchasing must transform to the act of purchase. Sampling is a great idea in this phase. This phase is also about the decision of second but from your brand too. Customer will buy your brand again or switch to another one?
Tina tried the sample brush your brand has given to her but after a while she will buy an Oral-B toothbrush. Not letting this action happen must take a great loyalty program strategy. And also unique features of the brand is a great help for customers not to switch.

Purchase:
The very last and the very essential phase would be the act of “purchase”. As a marketer we have to be sure that the purchase procedure experience is easy and pleasant enough for customer.
Make sure of availability of your product or adding multiple paying options, user friendly instructions and so many more.
When Tina made her mind to purchase from your brand after trying your toothbrush out, let her know where to find your product for next purchase. Or for example you might give her a little tube of toothpaste for free to delight her.

The significant purpose of this hierarchy that uses as a marketing communication tool is to encourage potential consumers to pass through all the six phases of the hierarchy of effects from top to end with the act of buying a product or service. Advertisers know that customers not necessarily pass through all the six phases all the time but the goal is the last one which is buying.
The Hierarchy of effects model is the base of so many customer behavioral models in marketing and advertising.