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Language in advertising: Comprehensibility as a forgotten performance metric

Published July 11, 2023�Presented as part of The Academy Summer Camp for the Marketing and Communication Community and organized by the Enterprise Brand Strategy and Management

Summer Camp 2023

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Aubrey W. Trask�Global Head, Digital�Cintana Education

Aubrey Trask has developed considerable expertise in marketing analytics, digital marketing and media buying across a diverse set of industries, with his most recent work focused on higher education. Aubrey specializes in designing and implementing full-cycle digital customer acquisition solutions, from the initial setup of websites and audiences 𑁋 all the way through to media activation and customer engagement and retention.

Aubrey has a BA degree in Economic Development from McGill University and a MSc degree in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University.

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If Einstein thinks this topic is complicated…

The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility…The fact that it is comprehensible is a miracle.”

– Albert Einstein

Physics and Reality (1936)

“

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Knowing we don’t comprehend is easy…

We encounter thousands of messages a day with varying levels of comprehensibility. Comprehension is so fundamental to our perception of reality that the incomprehensible is obvious – if we look.

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…but the language of comprehension is hard

Though we usually know when we don’t understand, knowing the mechanics of why understanding is outside of our reach is difficult when the subject of interpretation is not.

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For the next hour or so

Comprehensibility is a massive topic, extending across multiple domains of academia. We’re going to keep our focus limited to a perfunctory review of comprehensibility and how concepts can be applied to marketing, followed by how we can observe and act on comprehensibility in our own work.

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Agenda�July 11, 2023

10 a.m.–10:05 a.m. �Understanding comprehensibility in advertising:

Consumer engagement.
Decision-making.

�10:05 a.m.–10:10 a.m. �Psychological factors in comprehension:

Cognitive load theory.
Attention and perception.

�10:10 a.m.–10:15 a.m. �Analyzing comprehensibility in ads:

Linguistic analysis.
Visual analysis.

10:15 a.m.–10:20 a.m. �Challenges and ethical considerations:

Balancing creativity and simplicity.
Language and cultural barriers.

�10:20 a.m.–10:25 a.m. �Strategies for enhancing comprehensibility in advertising:

Matching the audience.
Visual hierarchy and readability.
Testing and feedback.
Collaboration.

10:25 a.m.–10:30 a.m. �Future trends and considerations

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Understanding comprehensibility in advertising

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What is comprehensibility?

The quality of being easy or possible to understand.”

– Cambridge Dictionary

On what does this definition depend?

“

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To break down comprehensibility in advertising, we first start with the audience

Measures of reading comprehension are both dynamic within and among age groups. Though a general trend in reading comprehension is observed, there are many external factors that can influence individual outcomes

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27442222/

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And then the context of the message

Despite general levels of reading comprehension supporting more complexity in messaging, shorter messages tend to garner more attention from users.

https://www.prweek.com/article/1794063/shorter-ads-deliver-better-attention-social-media

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Psychological factors in comprehension

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Cognitive Load Theory, CLT

CLT is one framework for describing how people process information.

Cognitive load

A individual can only handle so much information at once.

Working memory

Where information is staged and processed, lower capacity.

Long-term memory

Where learned information is stored, unknown capacity.

Schema

Organizes information based on how we use it

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Attention and perception are intimately related

0.005 seconds.

0.25 seconds.

0.33-0.5 seconds.

1 second.

14 seconds.

Thinking about the context in which an ad is processed and the time it takes to process, ads need to be designed with the user in mind.

01

Max amount of time for an ad to be served after RTB.

02

Average time for the brain to reorient from one task to another.

03

Average time for the brain to access the meaning of a word.

04

Amount of time 50% of an ad needs to be present on screen to count as an impression.

05

Gaze time required for an ad to be perceived for 1 second.

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Analyzing comprehensibility in advertisements

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Linguistic analysis

There are different frameworks and systems for analyzing readability and comprehension:

The Flesch Formulas:

Flesch-Kincaid.
Flesch Reading Ease.

FORCAST.
Dale-Chall.

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There are many online calculators that can apply the rubrics of the various comprehensibility or readability tests to provide a score for given text.
While the interpretation of these scores vary, they can provide fast feedback regarding the complexity of a piece of content.

“

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Visual analysis

Visual elements of the ad can also be used to enhance comprehensibility:

Reading patterns.
Size of text.
White space.
Color.

https://blog.stackadapt.com/visual-hierarchy

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Challenges and ethical considerations

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Challenges in comprehensibility

Balancing creativity and simplicity is a significant challenge for various reasons.

Diverse audience

Different audiences have varying levels of familiarity and preferences, making it difficult to strike a balance that appeals to everyone while maintaining simplicity.

Subject complexity

Some topics or concepts are inherently complex, and simplifying them while still being creative can be a daunting task.

Creative expectations

Clients or stakeholders often have high expectations for creative designs, which may lead to a push for complexity rather than simplicity.

Brand identity

Maintaining consistency with the brand identity and visual language while exploring creative ideas can create tension between simplicity and creativity.

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Challenges in comprehensibility

Balancing creativity and simplicity is a significant challenge for various reasons

Time constraints

Striking the right balance between creativity and simplicity often requires time for ideation, iteration, and refinement, which may not always be feasible within tight deadlines.

Innovation pressure

The desire to stand out and be innovative can lead to a focus on complex and unconventional approaches, making simplicity a challenge.

Fear of boredom

Some stakeholders fear that simplicity may result in a lack of excitement or engagement, driving them to opt for more complex and visually stimulating designs.

Communication goals

Different communication goals may require different levels of creativity and simplicity, making it difficult to strike the right balance across various campaigns or messages.

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Ethical considerations

Accessibility

Accessibility concerns arise

when a tone or voice specifically excludes a particular audience due to differing levels of comprehension.

Informed consumer decision-making

Ethical advertising prioritizes the comprehension of information by consumers, enabling them to make informed choices about products or services. Advertisers have a responsibility to ensure that messages are comprehensible and provide accurate and relevant information.

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Strategies for enhancing comprehensibility in advertising

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Knowing your audience is critical

Know your audience's demographics, interests, and preferences.

Understand their cultural background, language proficiency, and literacy levels.

Identify their specific needs, challenges, and motivations.

Tailor the message, tone, and visuals to resonate with the audience.

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Strategies for enhancing comprehensibility

Clear and concise language:

Use simple and straightforward language to ensure easy understanding.
Avoid technical jargon or complex terminology that may confuse the audience.
Communicate the message concisely, prioritizing relevant information.
Tailor the language to match the target audience's literacy level and comprehension abilities.

Visual hierarchy and readability:

Establish a clear visual hierarchy that guides the audience's attention.
Use appropriate typography, font size, and spacing to enhance readability.
Ensure that text and visuals are visually balanced and harmonious.
Align the visuals with the intended message to reinforce comprehension.

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An easy to understand message:

Clear, easy to read headline.
Effective use of white space.
‘Learn more’ is not the most original CTA, but the use of the high-contrast blue makes it more attention-grabbing.
Effective use of imagery.

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What are we being sold with this ad?

Multiple audiences addressed in the same ad
Use of non-common visual glyphs, AdvantEdge card.
No CTA
There is no white space.

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Future trends and considerations

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The role of artificial intelligence and

natural language processing

Technology can be used to enhance our ability to assess comprehensibility.

Advancements in AI technologies enable marketers to analyze and evaluate message comprehensibility at scale.
Natural language processing tools can provide actionable insights for improving the clarity and effectiveness of advertising messages.

AI-powered systems can assist in identifying areas for improvement and optimizing campaigns to resonate better with the target audience.
Ex. Project Oculi

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User generated content and participatory approaches

Involve your consumer

User-generated content

Participatory approaches

Involving consumers in the content creation process increases comprehensibility and authenticity.

User-generated content allows consumers to contribute their perspectives, making the message more relatable and engaging.

Participatory approaches, such as contests or interactive campaigns, encourage consumer participation and foster a sense of ownership and connection to the message.

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Thank you and reminders

Scan the QR code below to access today’s presentation decks.

A link will be sent out via email and Slack for you to provide feedback on today’s sessions. Your feedback is valuable!

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