PR Discuss

COM 225 Glossary of Communications Terms

Term Definition

communication channel (also known as channel or channel of communication)

A communication channel is the medium used to send a message to an audience. Communication channel types include face-to-face, electronic and written communication, broadcast media, and mobile. Examples of communication channels include:

 Meetings

 Television

 E-mail messages

 Social media

 Magazines

content analysis Content analysis is a qualitative research method that summarizes the content of a source by identifying certain words, themes, and concepts. This content is then used to make conclusions about the message’s intent, its authors, and its audience.

corporate social responsibility (CSR) Corporate social responsibility is the deliberate inclusion of social, economic, and environmental impact into corporate decision making. Example: A beverage company that ethically sources their coffee beans from fair-trade sources that pay their farmers a living wage

culture Culture is the learned social behavior and norms shared by members of a society, also called a way of life. Culture passes from one generation to the next through communication and imitation. Commonly accepted elements of culture include:

 Behaviors

 Values

 Beliefs

 Symbols

Term Definition

data Data are facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis. Data should be used to help craft and define a message, channel, and target audience, and to help evaluate the impact of a messaging strategy. Example: Data can help indicate customer preferences. For instance, you could pull data on which pages of a website your target audience visits most frequently.

demographics Demographics are characteristics of a population used to categorize or analyze the audience for a segment of the population. Demographic variables include:

 Age

 Gender

 Family status

 Education

 Occupation

 Income

 Race

 Ethnicity

engagement In the context of communication, engagement refers to the process of involving a target audience in the objective of the messaging campaign. Engagement moves beyond a one-way communication from a company to their target audience. When engaged, the target audience forms a relationship with a company that invokes trust and accountability. Example: Social media platforms that enable the target audience to respond publicly to a company’s message

ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the evaluation of other cultures according to the standards of one’s own culture. Ethnocentrism often creates a feeling that other cultures are inferior or strange. Observing and researching cultural differences is one of the best ways to avoid ethnocentric blunders. Example: Americans serving champagne at a dinner party for delegates from Saudi Arabia, a Muslim country where alcohol is prohibited

Term Definition

messaging Messaging is an approved set of points or statements that a company uses to communicate about a specific topic with its target audience. Every form of communication the company uses to communicate about a specific topic should be on message, or consistent with the messaging strategy. Example: A company’s slogan or tagline

message type (purpose) Public relations and marketing messages have a variety of message types, or purposes. Identifying the type of message helps the communicator make choices about a message’s content, channel, and target audience. Examples of message types include:

 Announcements and news

 Sales

 Educational content

 Events

primary research Primary research is original research used to generate data. Examples of primary research include:

 Conducting a telephone survey

 Holding a focus group

 Observing customer behavior

psychographics Psychographics are the psychological characteristics of a population that are used to categorize or analyze in order to better understand an audience. Example: Individuals who are involved in the community or with socially responsible activities are more likely to purchase products labeled “environmentally friendly.” Categories of psychographics include:

 Values

 Interests

 Lifestyles

 Hobbies

 Attitudes

Term Definition

publics Publics are groups of individuals that influence or are influenced by an organization. The target audience may be a subset of a public, but the two are not necessarily the same. Example: There is a new company that supplies wheels to one bicycle company. The wheel company knows that its clients’ satisfaction will affect whether it can do business with other bicycle companies (one of their publics) or get a loan from one of the banks (another public).

qualitative research Qualitative research is research conducted to determine subjective information about a company, product, or advertising campaign. Qualitative research is a method for understanding audience motivations, opinions, attitudes, values, and perceptions. Qualitative research examples include:

 Focus groups

 Interviews with open-ended questions

quantitative research Quantitative research is research conducted to determine objective information about a company, product, or an advertising campaign Quantitative research data helps to establish facts and patterns, which are then used to measure events such as effects or relationships. Quantitative research examples include:

 Surveys

 Polls

 Questionnaires with closed-ended questions

reach Reach is the total number of people who will be exposed at least once to a particular communications message or medium. The target audience is typically a subset of the reach of a message. Example: The total amount of consumers who buy a particular newspaper in a given month

Term Definition

secondary research Secondary research is research that summarizes, collates, or synthesizes existing (primary) research and data. Example: Using data from the U.S. Census to help define a target audience

segmentation Segmentation is the process of dividing collected data into similar groupings based on parameters in order to obtain a more precise focus on the target audience. Example: Further dividing up a group of individuals who bought concert tickets according to gender or age group

stewardship Stewardship is a form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) where a company’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility is integral throughout every level of the organization. A company that shows stewardship does so to make a positive difference in society, not to improve its public image and wealth. Example of stewardship: A clothing company that uses recycled, organic, or ethically sourced fabrics in its products Anti-example of stewardship: A company that produces a clothing line in solidarity with Pride Month, but that assembles its products in a sweatshop

survey A survey is a research method of gathering self-reported data through the use of closed-ended questions (for example, true or false or multiple-choice questions) and open-ended questions. The purpose of this research method is to generate information and insights representative of those who were surveyed. Question type examples:

 Fact-based (for example, “How frequently do you buy new sneakers?”)

 Opinion-based (for example, “Do you think the president of the company is trustworthy?”)

Term Definition

target audience A target audience is a group or subset of a public targeted as the most appropriate for a strategic message. Target audiences are often defined in demographic terms, psychographic terms, or both. Example: Hispanic senior citizens living in Chicago (the demographic) who value public service (the psychographic)