The Influence of Media on Advertising Effectiveness: A Comparison of Internet, Posters, and Radio

By Herbjirm Nysveen and Einar Breivik

Multichannel

"The study finds few significant differences in advertising effectiveness regarding printed matter (posters) and Internet media."

Source: International Journal of Market Research, 2005, 47(4), pgs 383-405.

Type of Promotional Material/Activity Tested: This study analyzed the effectiveness of Internet ads (pop-ups), print advertisements (posters), and radio ads in relationship to consumer attitudes toward individual products -- regarding the ad, and the resulting support for rendering purchasing decisions.

Sample Population: 258 economic and engineering students were chosen from three European (Norway) regional universities.  The sample contained 42% females and 58% males. Years of post high school education averaged 1.8 years.

Methodology: The study included three different media forms of advertisements (Internet ad, printed poster, and radio spot) for an airline ticket and a weekend stay at a prominent hotel ski resort. The researchers studied the effectiveness of each advertisement’s ability to appeal to the sample population’s emotional state and ability to provide rational information. 

Metrics:
  Researchers developed a model to measure the subject’s response to:  

• Attitude to product:
  • The advertised product was very good
  • The advertised product was very bad
  • I became interested in the product after listening/seeing the advertisement
    
    
• Attitude to advertisement:
  • The advertisement was good
  • I liked the advertisement very much
  • The advertisement had a low quality
    
    
• Decision support:
  • The information presented in the advertisement gave me useful base to decide whether or not to buy the product
  • I feel that the advertisement gave me good decision support
  • In addition to the advertisement, I would have needed more information before deciding whether to buy the product or not

Top Line Results:
 

• For Attitude to Product, Internet advertisements were significantly more effective than radio advertisements.
  
  
• For Attitude to Product, there were no differences in the persuasive effect between Internet ads and printed posters or between posters and radio ads.
  
  
• For Attitude to Advertisement, the Internet was significantly more effective than radio, and printed posters were more effective than radio.

• For Decision Support, Internet ads and posters were significantly more effective than radio ads. 

Take Aways:
 

• The results indicate that both advertising media and the relative quality of the advertisements presented in the various media influence the effectiveness of the advertisements.  Internet and print appear to be the more efficient media for advertising effectiveness compared to radio.
  
  
• The research found few significant differences in advertising effectiveness regarding printed matter (posters) and Internet media.

 

Complexity Rating: 2 (Complex statistical analysis scale: 1 = none, 2 = moderate, 3 = difficult)

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