How advertising works: Facet Affect Model

The Facets Model of Effects explains how and why consumers react to advertising. Using the same principles can help you write more effective content.

When advertisers pitch ideas, they have a goal in mind for how they want consumers to respond. Should the audience be enlightened or reminded? Will they laugh or cry? How will they think of and remember our brand after this ad?

Many traditional marketers have used the Facets Model of Effects to help answer such questions. According to this model, ads can communicate six communication objectives which each drive a separate consumer response:

Communication Objective

Consumer Response

Perception

See/Hear

Emotional/Affective

Feel

Cognition

Think/Understand

Association

Connect

Persuasion

Believe

Behavior

Act/Do

These objectives can be equally important for content strategy. Understanding consumer behavior will help you to craft content that drives your target personas to have the responses and take the actions you want.