Effects of Structural Factors on TV Commercial Processing

Metrics such as understanding of the ad or purchase intent are widely used as a benchmark of effectiveness in TV commercial testing. However, it is quite rare that we are able to clearly understand why the benchmarks scores are high or low. This study investigates how structural variables relating to salience asymmetries in the visual presentation of TV commercials affect the processing of TV commercials. Asymmetries of cognitive salience suggest that brand information, which tends to be non-human, inanimate, and abstract, has difficulty in gaining TV commercial viewers’ attention. In this study we seek for effective ways to lead viewers to process brand information within TV commercial. The commercials examined for this purpose are those for products in two cosmetic product categories, namely lipstick and foundation. Based on the hierarchy of cognitive salience we present the hypothetical structural factors which appeal to the reference point ability and effectively lead consumers to process brand information. We tested these hypotheses by psychological experiments. Each commercial was tested among 51 to 54 participants. A total sample of 211 usable questionnaires was obtained. Results suggest that when celebrities are effectively used as a salient reference point accompanied by structural factors that successively shift the attention to brand information, understanding of product benefits is enhanced. An example