Definition of two-sided message

persuasive communication that presents two points of view and then presents arguments to counter the opposing view; also called two-sided appeal. A two-sided message for a service bureau might acknowledge that a competitor is located closer to the prospect and then assert that proximity is irrelevant if the service bureau is doing a good job. A two-sided message is more appropriate to an audience that is favorably disposed toward the opposing view or is likely to be exposed to strong arguments for the other side. An audience that favors another brand or pointof-view must be persuaded to abandon that view before a new view can be accepted. Two-sided messages work best with an educated audience that tends to make informed choices like industrial buyers. The order in which the views are presented in a two-sided appeal can affect the impact of each message depending upon the audience characteristics.