Are services advertised differently ? An empirical examination

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to study the relevance of a specific approach to services advertising by testing the absolute and relative impact of the product/service variable on advertising strategy. Design/methodology/approach – A content study of 4,233 press advertisements, taken from generalist magazines, was conducted using an original analytical framework based on competitive advantage. This framework was used to measure the impact on the advertising strategy of the following variables: type of offer, type of market and industry. Findings – The research indicates that three variables significantly influence advertising strategy: type of offer, type of market, and industry. However, the type of industry is the most influential variable. The study shows that the product/service contrast alone cannot adequately explain the choice of advertising strategy. Research implications/limitations – The conclusions indicate that the product-service variable should not be used in isolation, but rather in combination with other variables such as the type of target and the nature of the sector. The research, however, does not enable one to determine the relevance of the advertising choices highlighted. Practical implications – The framework can enable one to link marketing strategy to advertising strategy. It enables one to clearly pose the problem of advertising strategy upstream from questions of creative approach and executional tools. Originality/value – This research shows that the product/service variable is not the best explanatory variable of the advertising strategy

Services advertising: showcase the customer!

International audienceThe research presented in this article focuses on the effectiveness of advertising strategies used in services communication. For this purpose, a quantitative study of 50 magazine advertisements for services in tourism and banking/insurance was conducted with a sample of 249 respondents. This research shows that, for both sectors, certain advertising strategies are more effective than others, and that the most effective advertising strategy is one that showcases the service customer. This strategy is more effective than those highlighting competitive advantage, contact staff, a physical representation of the service or the company’s brand imag

Age differences in responsiveness to shocking prosocial campaigns

Purpose This paper aims to study age differences in responsiveness to shocking prosocial campaigns. It specifically investigates the differences between seniors and young adults regarding the persuasive effect of emotional charity campaigns, the intensity of negative emotions and empathy elicited, the affect-based persuasive process leading to the ad effectiveness and the role of perceived self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach Two studies are conducted on seniors (n1 = 173; n2 = 118) and young adults (n1 = 170; n2 = 123) exposed to appeals for “Action against Hunger” incorporating various levels of emotional content. Findings The results indicate that seniors are more receptive to emotional campaigns but only for higher emotional ads and only regarding intention to donate. Young adults report lower levels of empathy, and findings do not suggest major age differences in the reported negative emotions after exposure to low or high emotional appeals. The affect-based persuasion differs; young adults are particularly influenced by negative emotions, whereas the persuasive effect on the elderly stems from an empathetic reaction. Self-efficacy moderates the effect of negative emotions only among older participants. Practical implications Social marketers are advised to use vivid and realistic stimuli to reach young people and develop these appeals in social media. For an older target audience, however, marketers are advised to use creative components and media support designed to foster personalisation and proximity. Originality/value This study provides a better understanding of age-related effects on emotional persuasion, and addresses the specificity of prosocial appeals involving responsiveness to the suffering of others

La communication interne : stratégies et techniques

La communication interne est une dimension essentielle de la stratégie des organisations. Dans ce livre, les auteurs en abordent à la fois le contenu y compris la responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise et les techniques les plus couramment utilisées, dont les réseaux sociaux d'entreprise, en pleine expansion. Cette 4e édition largement enrichie analyse : - les fondements de la communication interne ; - les enjeux managériaux associés ; - les stratégies et les techniques ; - les outils d'évaluation. Cet ouvrage s'adresse aux professionnels de la communication, des ressources humaines, de la stratégie, aux managers ainsi qu'aux étudiants des universités et écoles de commerce concernés par les questions de communication interne

La communication interne : stratégies et techniques

La communication interne est une dimension essentielle de la stratégie des organisations. Dans ce livre, les auteurs en abordent à la fois le contenu y compris la responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise et les techniques les plus couramment utilisées, dont les réseaux sociaux d'entreprise, en pleine expansion. Cette 4e édition largement enrichie analyse : - les fondements de la communication interne ; - les enjeux managériaux associés ; - les stratégies et les techniques ; - les outils d'évaluation. Cet ouvrage s'adresse aux professionnels de la communication, des ressources humaines, de la stratégie, aux managers ainsi qu'aux étudiants des universités et écoles de commerce concernés par les questions de communication interne

Analysis of clinical pharmacist interventions in the COVID-19 units of a French university hospital.

International audienceObjectives The objectives were to compare clinical pharmacist interventions between two care groups: COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative patients, and to identify drugs that require particular attention, especially those involved in COVID-19 management.Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients with positive and negative COVID-19 statuses admitted to Lille University Hospital over 1 month. Pharmaceutical analysis instigated interventions to rectify drug-related errors. For each pharmaceutical intervention (PI), the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification of the drug and the outcome of such an intervention were specified.Results The study included 438 patients. Prescription analysis led to 188 PIs performed on 118 patients (64 COVID-19-positive patients and 54 COVID-19-negative patients). Most drug-related problems were incorrect dosage representing 36.7% (69/188) of all interventions: 27.9% (29/104) for the COVID-19-positive group and 47.6% (40/84) for the COVID-19-negative group. The most frequent PI in 34% (64/188) of cases was terminating a drug: 27.9% (29/104) for the COVID-19-positive group and 47.6% (40/84) for the COVID-19-negative group. The main drug classes involved were antithrombotic agents (20.7%, 39/188), antibacterials for systemic use (13.8%, 26/188) and drugs for gastric acid-related disorders (6.4%, 12/188). Study population was limited to a single centre over 1 month.Conclusion No difference in PI was noted between the two groups. The presence of pharmacists led to a reduction in drug-related prescription problems, especially for antithrombotic and antibacterial drugs for both groups. Clinical pharmacy commitment in such a pandemic is therefore important

Sleep Medication in Older Adults: Identifying the Need for Support by a Community Pharmacist

Many older adults take benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics for the treatment of sleep disorders. With a view to considering the possible discontinuation of hypnotics, the objectives of the present study were to describe bedtime habits and sleep patterns in older adults and to identify the sleep medications taken. An expert group developed a structured interview guide for assessing the patients’ bedtime habits, sleep patterns, and medications. During an internship in a community pharmacy, 103 sixth-year pharmacy students conducted around 10 interviews each with older adults (aged 65 or over) complaining of sleep disorders and taking at least one of the following medications: benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine derivatives (“Z-drugs”), antihistamines, and melatonin. A prospective, observational study was carried out from 4 January to 30 June 2016. The pharmacy students performed 960 interviews (with 330 men and 630 women; mean ± standard deviation age: 75.1 ± 8.8). The most commonly taken hypnotics were the Z-drugs zolpidem (n = 465, 48%) and zopiclone (n = 259, 27%). The vast majority of patients (n = 768, 80%) had only ever taken a single hypnotic medication. The median [interquartile range] prescription duration was 120 (48–180) months. About 75% (n = 696) of the patients had at least 1 poor sleep habit, and over 41% (n = 374) had 2 or more poor sleep habits. A total of 742 of the patients (77%) reported getting up at night—mainly due to nycturia (n = 481, 51%). Further, 330 of the patients (35%) stated that they were keen to discontinue their medication, of which 96 (29%) authorized the pharmacist to contact their family physician and discuss discontinuation. In France, pharmacy students and supervising community pharmacists can identify problems related to sleep disorders by asking simple questions about the patient’s sleep patterns. Together with family physicians, community pharmacists can encourage patients to discuss their hypnotic medications