# 2.1 Macro-model of communication

The macro-model of communication encompasses 10 elements. It describes the movement of an idea (such as a marketing message) from the sender (marketer or a company acting on their behalf), through encoding (content creation), into a message transmitted through a communications channel (media), from where it is then decoded (heard, viewed or (mis)understood) by the receiver (potential customer). It also includes a feedback loop, as determined by the response of the receiver to the message. Noise refers to the disruptions generated from other senders or receivers during the transmission or interpretation processes. Click on each of the elements in Figure 3 to see how they fit into the model.

Figure 3 Elements in the communications process

The macro-model of communications illustrates that communications should be a circular process and not a linear one. In the next activity, you will apply this model to a hypothetical campaign.

## Activity 2 communications process model

Allow around 10 minutes for this activity.

For a hypothetical communications campaign for Rolex, the Swiss luxury watchmaker, match each element of the communications model in the table below with the appropriate option from the list. You can drag the options from the list and drop them into their respective cells in the second column.

The brand team at Rolex

Sender

Advertising agency working on behalf of Rolex

Encoding

Roger Federer, as brand ambassador, extols the brand identity

Message

TV advertisement

Media

The advert is seen and message interpreted

Decoding

TV audiences

Receiver

Purchase/not purchase, or recommend/not recommend

Response

Competitors (e.g. Omega, TAG, Heuer, Hublot)

Noise

Is it worth the price and service?

Feedback

Connection with audiences attitudes, interests and experiences

Field of experience

Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.

1. The brand team at Rolex

2. Advertising agency working on behalf of Rolex

3. Roger Federer, as brand ambassador, extols the brand identity

4. TV advertisement

5. The advert is seen and message interpreted

6. TV audiences

7. Purchase/not purchase, or recommend/not recommend

8. Competitors (e.g. Omega, TAG, Heuer, Hublot)

9. Is it worth the price and service?

10. Connection with audiences attitudes, interests and experiences

1. 1

   Sender

2. 2

   Encoding

3. 3

   Message

4. 4

   Media

5. 5

   Decoding

6. 6

   Receiver

7. 7

   Response

8. 8

   Noise

9. 9

   Feedback

10. 10

    Field of experience

The correct answers are:

- 1 =
- 2 =
- 3 =
- 4 =
- 5 =
- 6 =
- 7 =
- 8 =
- 9 =
- 10 =

OpenLearn - Marketing communications in the digital age
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