Exploring the Role of Message Sensation Value (MSV) and Interpersonal Communication

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:  Mass communication theory suggests that highly emotional and arousing appeals may be the most effective approach to stimulating interpersonal conversation. Research suggests that advertising executional characteristics such as powerful personal testimonials or repellent images may help to break through to people and promote engagement with antismoking messages via conversation, a critical step in the causal chain between media messaging and behavior change.  A common approach to operationalizing the arousal level of an ad is assessing its message sensation value (MSV). MSV represents the degree to which formal and content audiovisual features of a message elicit sensory, affective and arousal responses. Messages high in MSV are characteristically novel, exciting, dramatic or fast-paced. High MSV messages are often employed by antismoking campaigns that target high sensation seekers. Sensation seekers, who are at a greater likelihood to use tobacco, have been found to prefer messages that are novel, and feature complex, ambiguous, and emotionally intense stimuli.  Despite the acknowledgement that health messages high in MSV are likely to lead to increased conversation, remarkably little research has actually directly examined MSV’s impact on conversation about health messages, particularly among older adults. This is alarming, particularly given the frequency with which the relationship is casually discussed, but rarely empirically verified. The present research examines whether differences in MSV among four antismoking ads predict talk about those ads. That is, we examine whether the degree of MSV within ads increases the likelihood that individuals will talk about that specific ad. RQ 1: What is the relationship between MSV and conversation?

Methods and Results (informing the conceptual analysis):  The research uses data collected through Knowledge Networks as part of an ongoing, multi-wave evaluation of ClearWay Minnesota^SM’s tobacco control media campaign. One of the aims of the campaign was to stimulate interpersonal communication among the target audience. Data was collected that measured conversation about each ad. To measure MSV, two trained coders examined the 4 ads and coded each ad along 11 features from a validated MSV scale. Results partially supported the idea that MSV leads to increased talk about an ad. Of the four ads, the ad coded as having the highest MSV score also had the highest level of talk. However, the ad coded as having the second highest MSV score had the third highest level of talk, suggesting that factors other than MSV likely impacted conversation.

Conclusions:  Although exploratory, the research offers the first known study to specifically examine the relationship between MSV and interpersonal communication. The literature on MSV is extensive, and health practitioners seem to understand the idea that stimulating arousal in campaign ads is a fruitful approach, yet research examining the link between MSV and talk is sparse. 

Implications for research and/or practice:  The study offers a model for health practitioners that uses a well-validated scale used to measure ad arousal to predict interpersonal communication about antismoking ads. Assessing this relationship is of great import to health professionals interested in stimulating conversation about health messages.