The communications process consists of nine elements: sender, receiver, message, media, encoding, decoding, response, feedback, and noise.”(1)
In marketing communications, noise refers to any factor that can interfere with the message being received or understood by the intended audience.
The noise
Noise can be physical, such as background noise or poor audio quality, or semantic, such as technical jargon or unfamiliar language. It can also be psychological, such as personal biases or distractions that prevent the audience from fully receiving or understanding the message.
An example of physical noise is poor audio quality in a video commercial, making it hard for the audience to understand the message. The poor audio quality can be caused by background noise or even a fast-paced voice-over that makes it difficult for the viewers to understand the commercial.
Noise also can be semantic. Imagining you are promoting a new hybrid car. Suppose the wording used in the TV commercial needs to be more technical, and the images or video clips used in the commercial, instead of helping the consumer understand the features of this new car, create confusion. In that case, the message will not be understandable for the consumers, and you will have a semantic noise.
Now imagine you are broadcasting this TV commercial about this hybrid car in the middle of a situation about to occur like a hurricane or tropical storm; consumer sentiment during this time frame is probably more into preparing for the storm and stressed about what is about to happen and not thinking in a new hybrid vehicle, so here the noise will be psychological. So in this example, psychological noise is interfering with the message being received by the audience, reducing the effectiveness of the marketing communication.
The noise in marketing communication is one of a marketer’s worst enemies. Remember, consistency is key when delivering a marketing message.
To reduce noise
“Cutting through the noise can put your brand a cut ahead of the competition in the long run” (The Forbes magazine). In other words, if your message is clear, simple, and tailored to your target audience, you will be ahead of your competitors.
Psychological noise: To reduce psychological noise, marketers must understand their target audience and the factors that may impact their ability to receive and engage with the message. They can consider the context in which their message will be received and aim to deliver it at a time when viewers are likely to be receptive.
Semantic noise: To reduce semantic noise, marketers need to consider the language and terminology used in their message and ensure that their target audience easily understands it. They can use simple and concise language and avoid technical jargon or complex terminology that may be unfamiliar to the audience.
Physical noise: To reduce physical noise, marketers must carefully select the communication channel and ensure it is appropriate for the message. For example, if the message is audio-visual, a TV commercial may be more effective than a radio ad.
In conclusion, reducing noise in marketing communication requires careful consideration of the audience, message, and environment in which it will be received. By using appropriate language, visuals, and communication channels, marketers can reduce noise and ensure the target audience receives and understands their message.
1 – T., Kotler Philip; Keller Kevin Lane. Marketing Management (p. 580). Pearson Education. Kindle Edition.
