Assessing When Increased Media Weight Helps Sales of Real-World Brands

Marketing Science Institute Working Paper Series Report No. 02-104

Posted: 15 Aug 2002

See all articles by Deborah J. MacInnis

Deborah J. MacInnis

University of Southern California - Marketing Department

Ambar G. Rao

Washington University in St. Louis - John M. Olin Business School

Allen M. Weiss

University of Southern California - Marketing Department

Date Written: May 2002

Abstract

A prevailing view is that increased media weight for frequently purchased brands in mature product categories usually does not lead to increases in sales. However, the role of advertising executional cues and viewer responses on media weight induced sales has not yet been examined. The authors find that whether weight helps or has no sales impact depends on the creative characteristics of the ads and the responses they evoke in viewers. Study 1 showed that real world ads for frequently purchased brands in mature categories were likely to create greater media weight induced sales when they utilized affectively based executional cues. Study 2 found that greater media weight was related to the sales impact of ads that evoked positive feelings and failed to evoke negative feelings in viewers. Hypotheses related to these results are developed within the context of prior work on consumer persuasion (including the ELM), memory processes, and advertising wearout.

Keywords: advertising effectiveness, media weight, executional cues, emotions, mature products, elaboration likelihood model

Suggested Citation

MacInnis, Deborah J. and Rao, Ambar G. and Weiss, Allen M., Assessing When Increased Media Weight Helps Sales of Real-World Brands (May 2002). Marketing Science Institute Working Paper Series Report No. 02-104, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=313185

Deborah J. MacInnis (Contact Author)

University of Southern California - Marketing Department ( email )

Hoffman Hall 701
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1427
United States

Ambar G. Rao

Washington University in St. Louis - John M. Olin Business School ( email )

One Brookings Drive
Campus Box 1133
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
United States
314-935-4515 (Phone)
314-935-6359 (Fax)

Allen M. Weiss

University of Southern California - Marketing Department ( email )

Hoffman Hall 616
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1427
United States

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