Starbucks 2012

This campaign video from Starbucks provides an example of the effective message tactic, linking the content of the message to the pre-existing beliefs of the audiences. The content which is ‘Starbucks coffee will be referred to you by your name’ fits into the concept of individualism in Western culture. People have a general desire towards products made especially for them.

Cacioppo, Petty, and Sidera (1982) provided empirical evidence of effective message tactic that message arguments were rated as more convincing when they fit the participant’s orientation.

In addition, the use of animation and vivid language makes the message appealing to be even more emotionally interesting. Borgida and Nisbett (1977) hypothesize that base rate information has limited impact on decision-making due to  its abstract. University students who had strong orientation to take psychology as major were recruited into 2 conditions. Students in base-rate-information condition were given both script of descriptions and mean evaluation of different psychological courses. Students in face-to-face condition were given the same description but in the form of vocal reading by previous students. Results showed that students’ selection of courses was much more dependent on receiving a vivid comment (with the sight and sound of somebody reading of lines) than average rating of courses. 

Reference:

Borgida, E., & Nisbett, R.E. (1977). The differential impact of abstract vs. concrete information on decisions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 7, 258-271.  

Cacioppo, J.T., Petty, R.E., & Sidera, J. (1982). The effects of a salient self-schema on the evaluation of proattitudinal editorial: top-down versus bottom-up message processing. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 18, 324-228.