APPLYING LADDERING DATA TO COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY AND ADVERTISING PRACTICE

This article provides a summary of personal observations, practical ex perience, and discussions with leading professionals in the field of a dvertising and communications regarding how to identify a communicatio ns strategy expressed in a means-end framework and how to use the fram ework to develop advertising copy. It represents a set of ''school-yar d lessons'' in applying laddering research to real communications prob lems. Information is organized around six thinking tools for developin g a communications strategy and advertising copy. Examples are drawn f rom contemporary advertising campaigns.