A Generational Analysis:
Exploring the Effectiveness of Advertainment Marketing Techniques on Consumers
Judy Millili
Capstone Project
Presented to the Faculty of the School of Communication in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Public Communication
Supervisor: Professor Caty Borum Chattoo
April 25, 2012
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Professor Caty Borum Chattoo for her support, infinite encouragement and
knowledgeable input throughout the entire semester. Professor Chattoo’s genuine interest,
constant enthusiasm, in-depth feedback and constant energy has made this project and class
experience one of the best I have ever had. Professor Chattoo’s communication expertise and
academic guidance has undoubtedly expanded my knowledge in this field and has truly made
this a valuable intellectual experience.
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COPYRIGHT
Judy Millili
2012
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Abstract
The perpetual introduction of technological advances and digital innovations greatly influences
how marketing professionals introduce, promote and sell products to consumers. Today,
advertisers are constantly revamping traditional marketing strategies to effectively and efficiently
reach targeted audiences. One innovative strategy being adopted by marketing professionals to
capture the attention of audiences is through the fusion of advertising and entertainment, a
practice commonly referred to as “advertainment.” This capstone project explores the
effectiveness of advertainment practices on consumers. Through a series of three focus groups
comprised of participants between the ages of 17 to 57, this research answers the following
questions: (1) What impact does advertainment have on consumer purchasing decisions? (2)
How effective are advertainment techniques on consumers when the degree of brand integration
differs, i.e., how effective is the use of product placement, product integration and branded
entertainment to sell products? The research found notable generational differences between age
groups, with the youngest group most in favor of such advertainment practices, and the oldest
group least in favor.
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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................................6
Literature Review...........................................................................................................................................8
Historical Context of advertainment.................................................................................................8
Advertainment typology..................................................................................................................10
Storytelling elements.......................................................................................................................12
Theoretical context of consumer decision-making..........................................................................14
Theoretical context of the entertainment experience......................................................................16
Affective disposition theory.............................................................................................................18
Overview of ethics in advertising....................................................................................................19
Consumer responses to advertising................................................................................................22
Methods........................................................................................................................................................24
Results..........................................................................................................................................................28
General feelings about advertising.................................................................................................29
Overview of participants’ advertising experiences.........................................................................30
Overview of participants’ entertainment experiences.....................................................................31
Consumers’ purchasing decisions related to advertising................................................................32
Feelings about product placement & product integration..............................................................33
Feelings about branded entertainment...........................................................................................35
Views about ethics and advertising.................................................................................................38
Discussion....................................................................................................................................................40
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................47
Summation of results......................................................................................................................48
Study significance...........................................................................................................................49
Study limitations and future recommendations..............................................................................50
References....................................................................................................................................................51
Appendix......................................................................................................................................................54
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Introduction
The evolution of the advertising industry’s promotional practices remains in a state of
constant transition as technological advances steadily continue to shape, transform and cultivate
the digitally integrated landscape of today’s modern world. The fusion of advertising and
entertainment, known by the industry as advertainment, is becoming an increasingly popular
method that marketers use to connect with consumers. Russell (2007) contends the term
“advertainment” was “coined to reflect the intertwined connections between advertising and
entertainment...It refers to the promotional practices that integrate brand communications within
the content of entertainment products.” With the effectiveness of traditional advertising, such as
commercial messaging, on the decline, advertisers are relying more on the integration of brand
communications within narrative content in entertainment to promote products.
In today’s technologically-driven digital age, the increasing convergence of television and
the Internet allow consumers to easily facilitate what content they are exposed to and when.
Consumers are undeniably saturated with advertisements every day in the form of print and
digital messages via platforms including television, the Internet and billboards. Advances in
technology, like the introduction of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), have given consumers
more control over what they view, allowing them the opportunity to virtually opt out of watching
commercial messaging completely.
According to Mulcahy (2006), “An increasingly fragmented media landscape – replete
with blogs, DVRs, video, iPods and other personal media game changers – has prompted
marketers to look for innovative opportunities to engage consumers.” Such technologies force
marketers to adapt their communicative and promotional strategies to align with the ever-
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changing scope of the digital sphere. The inclusion of advertainment practices in marketing
campaigns allows advertisers to engage with audiences in a way that encourages creativity,
imagination, innovation and interactive consumer participation.
This capstone will explore current advertainment practices based on the degree of
integration of the brand in the entertainment content. The typology of the advertainment
messages is classified into three categories: Product Placement, Brand Integration and Branded
Entertainment. Specifically, this research seeks to gain in-depth insight regarding consumers’
attitudes and perceptions of the fusion of advertising and entertainment to sell or promote
products. The objectives for this research study include:
• Determine what impact advertainment has on consumer purchasing decisions.
• Measure the effectiveness of advertainment practices among consumers.
• Complete a generational analysis of consumers’ attitudes and perceptions.
Currently, there has been limited research completed regarding the effectiveness of
advertainment practices. This research will provide additional insight into why consumers feel
the way they do about the integration of brand communications within entertainment content,
attempt to explain how such methods of advertising influence their purchasing decisions and
offer an in-depth analysis of what components generate successful campaigns according to the
participants’ responses. Further, this research will provide a generational analysis as different
age groups were recruited to participate in the focus groups.
This paper will provide an extensive review of the literature including the following
topics: An overview of advertainment, the theoretical contexts of consumer decision-making and
the entertainment experience, the elemental aspects of storytelling in branded entertainment and
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entertainment theory. Further, it will include a section on the preexisting literature that focuses
on consumer attitudes and it will provide an overview of ethics in advertising. Following the
literature review, an in-depth review of the methodology used in the focus groups for this
research will be discussed in addition to the results. To conclude, the implications of the study’s
findings will be discussed and related to the theoretical foundation outlined in the literature
review. Recommendations for future research will also be given.
Literature Review
Historical overview of advertainment:
The integration of brand communications within entertainment content is a practice that
is commonly used across multiple platforms including television, film, radio, music, video
games, plays and novels (Russell, 2007). The increasing popularity of using this method of
integrated advertising has developed in recent years as a way to counter technological advances
that make the avoidance of traditional commercial messaging easy for consumers. Statistical
evidence supports the notion that consumers are more likely to opt out of watching commercial
advertising if given the opportunity.
For example, according to an In-Stat/MDR survey, 54 percent of consumers claim to skip
75-100 percent of commercials. Further, a Knowledge Networks study conducted in 2004 found
that 47 percent of viewers switch channels during commercial breaks in the television program
they are currently watching (Russell, 2007). The fact that consumers have the ability to easily
avoid such messages has fueled the growth of advertainment exponentially in recent years;
however, the concept of blending advertising and entertainment is not new.
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The use of branded products in motion pictures, known as “co-operative advertising,”
“tie-in advertising,” or “trade outs,” became standardized in the film industry (Russell, 2007).
The introduction of advertainment in films was the catalyst for this genre of marketing to
consumers. For example, the Walter E. Kline Agency in Beverly Hills supplied studio executives
with extensive lists of products available for on-screen use in films. These products were
provided for free in return for publicity within the entertainment content in the form of stills
(2007). Since its inception in the 19th century, the implementation of advertainment as a means
of product promotion has significantly developed.
Fast-forward to the 20th century when advertising agencies started to produce television
programs in the 1950s that were sponsored and named after brands such as “The Colgate
Comedy Hour,” a big-budgeted musical variety show that aired on NBC for five and a half
seasons (The Museum of Broadcast Communications). Sponsored by Wrigley Chewing Gum
and Colgate, marketers collaborated with NBC to associate their brands with entertainment.
However, the “practice of show sponsorship began to decline as advertisers realized they could
better reach their target markets by spreading their advertising budgets across many shows rather
than by spending it all on one” (Russell, 2007).
It was not until the early 1980s when the trend of fusing advertising and entertainment
started to gain popularity. For example, in the 1982 hit movie, “E.T.,” the use of the candy
Reese’s Pieces to lure the alien proved to be a successful placement as it led to an increase in
both brand awareness of Reese’s Pieces as well as a sales increase of 65 percent (Russell, 2007).
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Advertainment typology:
The nature of advertainment messages often depends on the level of brand integration
within the entertainment content. This section discusses the different degrees of integration and
outlines the advertainment typology on three levels: Product placement, product integration and
branded entertainment.
Product placement is defined as “the purposeful incorporation of brand into an
entertainment vehicle” (Russell, 2007). The simplest implementation of product placement
occurs when a brand is added to the existing entertainment content. Unlike product integration
and branded entertainment, product placement is merely a visual appearance, not purposed to
play any particular role in the actual narrative of the entertainment content. It is the lowest level
of integration out of the three. The necessity to create realistic settings in film and television
programming justifies the incorporation of product placements in entertainment productions.
Product integration goes beyond the simple visual appearance of a brand placement
within entertainment content because it is a more extensive placement, where the actual products
play a role in the narrative.
“Product integration can work extremely well for advertisers and producers if it
strikes a balance between being noticed while also being transparent and germane.
The practice is likely to be more successful with consumers if the product fits
seamlessly and naturally with the program’s story line, fulfills an actual need
presented by the story, and serves that need in a way that is not awkward or
contrived” (Mulcahy, 2006).
The natural inclusion of products in movies or television programs where the brand is part of the
narrative, but not the sole focus, is a challenging task for marketers and producers.
Today, scripted and reality television programs are saturated with product placements that
are weaved into story lines. For example, when Crest was integrated into an episode of NBC’s
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“The Apprentice,” an American reality show hosted by entrepreneur and real estate celebrity
Donald Trump, Crest received “4.3 million visits to crest.com, 80,000 requests for samples and
25,000 submissions of marketing ideas” (Russell, 2007). Still, the greatest degree of integration
of a brand in entertainment content is branded entertainment.
Defined by PQ Media, a research market firm, branded entertainment refers to the
“marketing strategies that integrate products into entertainment venues that typically provide
high engagement and interactivity” (PQ Media, 2008). It is a combination of carefully calculated
corporate marketing mixed with strategically incorporated narrative in entertainment content.
This combination is purposed to simultaneously sell products while entertaining audiences with
story lines.
Often times, branded entertainment in television programming will last over an entire
series. For example, in the WE reality program called “Style Me With Rachel Hunter,” 12
stylists compete for money and a chance to style Rachel Hunter at a red carpet event. L’Oreal
and Payless Shoe Source were the sponsors for the series and both companies had their products
incorporated into each episode (Russell, 2007).
As a result of the partnership between the show’s producers and the marketing
professionals for L’Oreal and Payless Shoe Source, story lines were developed to align the
products with the actual competition for the duration of the series. The collaboration
successfully blended the entertainment experience to incorporate marketing, which increased
sales for the participating companies, storytelling, which developed an entertainment narrative
for each episode and celebrity through the show’s model/actress host, Rachel Hunter.
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Storytelling elements:
Successful brand integration within entertainment content is characterized by a
strategically developed storyline that is natural, realistic and not pervasive to the viewers. As
brands evolve from being mere props on a set to playing active roles in narrative, paying
particular attention to the creation of the story and how it impacts the overall plot is important.
Manly (2005), contributor to The New York Times, contends advertisers and their
representatives are “increasingly working with a show’s writers and producers in addition to the
network’s ad sales staff to incorporate products into the lines of scripted shows as part of more
elaborate marketing deals.” Advertising companies, like Omnicom, MediaVest and Carat
Americas, have created their own branded entertainment divisions to further solidify
relationships with their clients (Manly, 2005). Since technology has given viewers a higher
degree of control over what content they are exposed to, marketers, producers and writers have
to collaborate to develop stories that integrate brands in a way that is naturalistic to the plot,
profitable for the advertisers and, arguably the most important, enjoyable for the viewers.
Regarding entertainment practices, it is argued that the integration of brands in media
content are necessary in order to create reality in storytelling and that these placements are
intended to be unobtrusive (Avery and Ferraro, 2005). In order for viewers to become fully
absorbed in the narrative, entertainment media “must simulate a real-world situation as closely as
possible with the achievement of reality requiring the insertion of brands into sets or
dialogue” (2005).
Companies consistently question how advertisers and marketers can effectively use
technology to make their brand stories both immersive and interactive. For example, The Coca-
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Cola Company and the agency McCann Erikson have recently partnered in the New Frontier
Story Lab purposed to incorporate the evolution of storytelling at the Sundance Film Festival
(Champagne, 2012). Coca-Cola’s involvement in the initiative and the festival emphasizes the
marketer’s own creative evolvement and the increasing overlap between brands and
entertainment (2012).
Jonathan Mildenhall, Vice President, Global Advertising Strategy and Content Excellence
at Coca-Cola, asserts, “The company is placing a priority on learning about, and getting involved
in emerging forms of storytelling” (2012). The distribution of technology and easy accessibility
to reach people makes the incorporation of new media virtually inescapable for marketers.
Using technology to tell brand stories via the use of entertainment is becoming a common
practice among marketers and entertainers alike.
An advertisement that exemplifies the integration of technology, marketing and
entertainment is seen in the Toyota Sienna webisode series called “Swagger Wagon.” Toyota’s
ad agency, Saatchi & Saatchi LA, developed a music video that features a family and the two
parents are in the forefront rapping. They are, for the majority of the time, in front of the Toyota
Sienna car. The advertisement, which targeted mothers, was an extremely successful online
branded entertainment campaign and was one of the most viral online video ads in 2010.
Taking it a step beyond the integration of new media and entertainment online,
companies today are more frequently using branded entertainment practices where the brand
itself is almost non-existent. For example, L Studio is Lexus’ online entertainment channel that
was created to attract younger consumers to the luxury brand. The purpose of the channel is to
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entertain, engage and interact with their targeted demographic in attempt to garner more support
and, ideally, more customers for the Lexus brand.
However, the Lexus brand is almost non-existent throughout the site’s content. On the
site, one series in particular called “Web Therapy” is extremely popular. The series features the
Emmy Award winning Lisa Kudrow of the popular series “Friends.” It is critically acclaimed
and has won numerous awards including a Streamy, Webby and a Banff World Medial Festival
Award (MeadeLexus, 2011). The series was co-produced by Lexus for LStudio.com and has
appeared on the web since 2008.
Additionally, the television network Showtime picked up the pilot of the show and began
broadcasting the series in summer 2011, making it the first time that a branded web series moved
from online to a cable outlet. This is a great example of how companies are marketing their
brands in a covert and implicit way. However, even though the Lexus brand is not necessarily
mentioned within the content, the viewers are aware of the Lexus affiliation as the web series is
broadcasted on the LStudio website. This type of embedded advertising is branded
entertainment at its highest degree of integration.
Theoretical context of consumer decision-making:
Since one of the research objectives for this study is to determine how advertainment
practices impact purchasing decisions, it is necessary to review the literature regarding consumer
decision-making. The purpose of this section is to provide a background of the consumer psyche
regarding the decisions-making process. It will cover the actual process of making decisions,
outline the role of the affect heuristic in decision-making and relate this information to how
brand awareness impacts the choice process.
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In 1980, researchers generated a general structural model purposed to represent consumer
response to innovation associated with the measurement of consumer responses and their impact
on the decision making process (Bagozzi, 1983). This holistic model conceptualizes consumer
responses by focusing on the external determinants of consumer choice (stimulus), internal
processes that regulate choice (organism) and behaviors (response) that determine choice. The
four generic response sequences reflect the process consumers generally go through in everyday
decision-making activities. The four sequences are: cognitive, affective, parallel and social
response.
Research has proven that emotions play an integral role in the decision-making process.
The affect heuristic is defined simply as decisions based on intuition, instinct and gut feelings
(Slovic, et. al, 2004). The affective aspect of information processing plays a major role in
influencing consumers’ decisions. A clear understanding of the way individuals classify,
interpret and comprehend information they receive about products and services is necessary to
have in order to effectively and efficiently market to consumers. According to Kim, Scheufele
and Shanahan (2002), agenda setting and priming rely on information processing based on the
activation of memory traces. They argue, “decision-making is to a large degree a function of
how easily accessible certain relevant considerations are in a person’s mind when he or she
makes the decision.” This theory supports the idea that consumers are more likely to purchase
brands they have been exposed to, whether the exposure it implicit or explicit.
According to Baker, Hutchinson, Moore and Nedungadi (1986), “Brands can be included
in an evoked set either by being recognized in the environment or by being recalled from
memory.” Brand recognition and brand recall are both factors that influence consumers’
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decisions. The theoretical premise posits that brand familiarity allows easily accessible
perceptual identification to occur. Additionally, it increases the probability of the brand to be
recalled (Baker, et. al., 1986).
Further, the exposure and frequency effects support the notion that as brand exposure
increases, affective responses to brands become more favorable (Baker, et. al., 1986). This
theoretical understanding could be used to explain why product placement, integration and
branded entertainment are often successful in not only increasing brand awareness among
consumers, but also increasing product sales. The association of brands with something
consumers already find enjoyable, i.e., entertainment programs, is a strategic way marketers
communicate with audiences to sell products and to create favorable brand affiliations.
Theoretical context of the entertainment experience:
Since the fusion of advertising and entertainment has become an increasingly popular
method of marketing in recent years, it is important to have knowledge of the entertainment
experiences consumers have. As defined by Vorderer (2006), entertainment can be described as
“any activity designed to delight and, to a smaller degree, enlighten through the exhibition of
fortunes and misfortunes of others, but also through the display of special skills by others and/or
self.” This section will review literature regarding the entertainment experience in the context of
consumer needs for entertainment, what constitutes such experiences and the enjoyment element.
The experiential characteristics of new media include new types of experiences, interactive experiences and the integration of spacial, social mental and physical presences (Nakatsu,
Rauterberg, Vorderer, 2005). Inherently, humans have a fundamental need for variety, which is
often satisfied through entertainment outlets. This fundamental need is commonly categorized as
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exploratory behavior, which is defined as all activities that are concerned with gathering
information about the environment (Nakatsu, et. al., 2005). Vorderer, Klimmt and Ritterfeld
(2004) introduced a conceptual model that explains why people demonstrate strong preferences
for being entertained.
Further, the authors establish prerequisites on the media user’s side regarding the
occurrence of entertainment experiences. The consumer must appreciate fiction and therefore be
able to suspend disbelief, has to care about the characters in the story, be able to relate to the
characters, have a sense of actually being in the story and lastly, has to have an interest in the
specific topic (Vorderer, Klimmt, Ritterfeld, 2004).
When audiences feel connected to characters, both fictional and non-fictional, they
develop parasocial relationships. Such relationships “foster and trigger media consumption
because viewers wish to stay in touch with those they like to see on screens” (2004). Parasocial
relationships help consumers create the feeling of actually being apart of the entertainment
program. The entertainment experience is further conceptualized via the deep immersion that
takes place, thus making the experience more enjoyable.
Additionally, the theoretical framework of the entertainment experience focuses on
enjoyment at the core of entertainment. Enjoyment is an individual phenomenon that is
dependent on differing personality traits and subjective interpretations. According to Raney
(2006), “One leading explanation of the media-enjoyment process centers on how individuals
evaluate and form affiliations with media characters and how enjoyment is impacted by what
happens with and to those characters.” He outlines several important psychological factors
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associated with disposition-based theories that pertain to the enjoyment of media content. The
disposition-based theories are:
◦
Concerned with the enjoyment or appreciation of media content.
◦
Concerned with emotional responses to media content.
◦
Contend media enjoyment starts with and is driven by viewer’s feelings about
characters.
◦
Contend affiliations toward characters are formed and maintained on a
continuum.
◦
Acknowledge and rely upon the differences between individuals (Raney, 2006).
The way individuals process information varies for each person and impacts individual
entertainment experiences. The enjoyment consumers experience is influenced by the affective
qualities derived from the content being provided. Essentially, “enjoyment increases in
proportion to [individuals’] dispositions” (Raney, 2006).
If the entertainment content does not trigger an emotional response from the viewer,
enjoyment is not achieved. This is why the integration of products within entertainment content
must be done strategically in a way that connects emotionally with the viewers. In this case, no
emotional response could mean a decline in product sales.
Affective disposition theory:
Affective disposition theory refers to what audiences go through during the consumption
of media. According to Vorderer (2006), affective disposition theory, first posited by Dolf
Zillmann, describes how media users initially perceive, assess and morally judge the actions of
the characters within a narrative. Dependent upon the viewers’ approval or disapproval of the
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characters’ actions, they will develop either positive or negative affective reactions. Such
affective dispositions lead viewers to develop anticipatory feelings that result in specific
affective reactions, depending on the outcome of the story (Vorderer, 2006).
In addition to showing what people go through when being entertained, affective
disposition theory also “specifies the relations between particular narratives, affective
dispositions and the experience of entertainment” (Vorderer, 2006). It encompasses the deeply
immersive elements of the entertainment experience. Today, the established theoretical
underpinnings of the entertainment experience have to adapt as advances in technology continue
to expand. Younger generations are seeking an experience that is more immersive and requires a
higher degree of individual engagement.
Vorderer (2006) contends, “The fast proliferation of interactive media changes the media
users’ potential in dealing with media products and affects their perception of and expectations
about the media.” Media users are transitioning from being passive viewers to more active users.
The fact that consumers, especially younger generations, seek media that encourage more active
participation further emphasizes the already immersive elements that characterize the
entertainment experience.
Overview of ethics in advertising:
Although the integration of brands in entertainment content is not a new practice, the
current landscape of branded entertainment has been subject to increasing scrutiny over the past
several years (Johnston, 2008). Conflicts regarding regulation, disclosure, ethics and consumer
well-being are given more attention in today’s technologically driven digital age.
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Branded entertainment is within the regulatory jurisdiction of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In addition to
government-regulated agencies, branded entertainment is also subject to self-regulation
guidelines administered by organizations including the National Advertising Review Council
(NARC), the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), the Better Business Bureau and U.S.
broadcast networks (Johnston, 2008). According to Avery and Ferraro (2005), the sponsorship
identification rules of the FCC state that television shows must disclose a list of sponsors if there
is “more than a passing reference made to particular products or services.” In other words, the
broadcasters have the responsibility to explicitly state or identify the sponsorship deals.
Section 317 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires broadcasters to disclose to
audiences any content of the broadcast that has been made for monetary exchange (Johnston,
2008). This law requires disclosure at the time the subject matter is broadcast. Johnston (2008)
contends, “The FTC has traditionally viewed branded entertainment within the overall
jurisdiction of its consumer protection regulatory authority in relation to deceptive advertising
and unfair business practices.” The degree of government interest in branded entertainment and
how it impacts audiences continues to increase as issues of disclosure and brand transparency
remain at the forefront of this debate.
Critics of brand integration often refer to the practice as stealth or embedded advertising.
For example, critics of branded entertainment within scripted television shows argue that this
type of advertising is causing an increase in the “commercialization of the public airways and
their placements border on blatant commercial intent” (Avery & Ferraro, 2005). Additionally,
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) issued a paper in 2005 titled, “Are you selling me? Stealth
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advertising in the entertainment industry,” which criticized the expanding practice of product
integration (Johnston, 2008). The publication urged for the disclosure of product placement
deals in the beginning of each program. Further, in 2008, the FCC released a notice of inquiry
and a notice of proposed rule-making pertaining to embedded advertising, the term the FCC uses
to describe product placement and product integration (Cain, 2011). The notices proposed
specific durations of disclosures regarding the embedded products.
Cain (2011), argues the major concern with embedded advertising is deception.
According to the FTC, generally, an act is deceptive if it includes a “representation or omission
that is likely to mislead reasonable consumers and the representation or omission is
material” (Cain, 2011). Federal regulations have long supported the idea that consumers are
entitled to know when they are the target of advertisements. Since integrated advertising often
blurs the lines between explicit and implicit messaging, consumers may not always know they
are being sold to as they watch different entertainment programs. Additional issues that emerge
as a result of undisclosed advertising include skepticism, intrusion and exploitation; however,
deception remains at the heart of the policy debate regarding integrated advertising.
The legal and ethical issues associated with advertainment practices continue to rise as
brand integration increasingly obscures the lines between advertising and entertainment. Snyder
(2003) argues that the concern about ethics in advertising is “critical because of the enormous
economic impact that advertising communication has on the welfare of [the U.S.] and [its]
citizens.” For instance, when content is taken as information where the paid relationship is not
disclosed to viewers, is a practice that is at the heart of the debate.
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This type of non-disclosure is often seen in news or semi-news programs. For example,
on a taping of “The Today Show,” a U.S. morning program televised by NBC, the technology
editor of Child Magazine, James Oppenheim, appeared on the show mentioning the My ABC’s
Picture Book. The mention was paid for by Kodak, but this information was not disclosed to
viewers (Russell, 2007). Critics argue the hidden nature of such messages are pervasive and
represent a commercial takeover. Such critics call for clearer viewer disclosure of the embedded
branding.
Consumer responses to advertising:
This section reviews the literature on consumers’ responses and perceptions regarding
current advertising practices in the United States. It outlines the pros and cons of advertising as
perceived by consumers.
It is no surprise that advertising stimulates consumption and economic growth in the
U.S., however consumers are not always satisfied with current practices used by advertising
agencies to promote their products. Pollay and Mittal (1993) assert that consumers fear “covert
manipulation and subliminal techniques.” Such critiques are often made regarding branded
entertainment, where brand disclosure is non-existent.
Consumer distrust of advertising is of great importance because it impedes
advertising credibility and reduces marketplace efficiencies. High levels of
distrust and cynicism put professions of marketing and advertising in disrepute
and ultimately require greater advertising spending and creativity to accomplish
the same ends (Pollay & Mittal, 1993).
Research shows that consumers’ attitudes toward advertising are a combination of positive and
negative feelings. Overall, the most common underlying consumer beliefs about advertising
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include: Advertising as an information source, materialism, falsehood and deception, ethics
problems, advertising for enjoyment and issues of poor taste/sexuality (Pollay & Mittal, 1993).
Consumers feel advertising can serve a personal use in the form of information sources
and pleasurable experiences. When advertising is perceived to take on the role of providing
information, it is viewed positively. Additionally, when advertising is entertaining, viewers also
tend to respond agreeably (1993).
The positive affective responses attributed to advertising are further illustrated in
consumers’ responses to the impact advertising has on the economy. Advertising advocates
assert that such practices accelerate the adoption of new “goods and technologies, fosters
employment, lowers the average cost of production and promotes healthy competition between
producers to all consumers’ benefit” (1993). While consumers posit several positive reactions to
advertising, there are many negative ones to counter them. Consumers often feel advertising is
misleading, not fully informative, confusing and deceptive. These perceptions of advertising
continue to foster the policy debate regarding regulatory guidelines about integrative advertising
and overall consumer well-being.
Regarding brand integration, consumers have concerns about the realistic element of
placements and are generally skeptical of such advertising (Balasubramanian, Karrh &
Patwardhan, 2006). Viewers are more receptive to placements if the product appropriately fits
within the entertainment content. “If the brand placement is perceived as objectionable, these
questions prompt resistance toward the message and counter-argumentation” (2006). On the
other hand, if placements are viewed as natural, consumers are more likely to produce positive
affective outcomes.
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The authors define skepticism as a defense mechanism that is triggered when audiences
are presented with information that strains credibility, thus suspending or causing a decrease in
their levels of belief. They further posit that skepticism toward advertising “increases when
audiences acquire a more refined knowledge of advertisers’ tactics and persuasive intent” (2006).
The integration of brands must be strategic because, as the research suggests, the more skeptical
consumers are of placements, the more likely they are to have poor attitudes toward such
advertising practices.
Methodology
This research employed a qualitative methodology. Focus groups were conducted to gain
further insight regarding consumers’ perceptions and attitudes about current advertainment
marketing strategies. Specifically, focus groups were completed in an attempt to gauge
consumers’ familiarity with branded communications marketing, to better understand why
consumers feel the way they do about the integration of brands within entertainment content and
to determine how such strategies may or may not influence consumers’ purchasing decisions.
The researcher used a convenience sample by reaching out to potential participants via
personal networking. The following table outlines the advertainment typology, starting with the
lowest degree of branded integration to the highest. Questions were formulated using this
typology in order to effectively gauge consumers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding current
advertainment practices.
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Product Placement
Product Integration
Branded Entertainment
Incorporation of a brand into an entertainment vehicle;
visual appearance; lowest degree of branded integration
Product plays an active role in the narrative of the
entertainment; higher degree of integration compared to
product placement
Integration of product into entertainment venues that
typically provides high engagement and interactivity;
highest degree of branded integration
In order to analyze consumers’ attitudes and perceptions, a total of three focus groups
were conducted over the span of one week in mid March 2012. All focus groups took place in
New Jersey and were moderated by the researcher. The room where the focus groups were
completed was sound proof and secluded from noise distractions. Further, participants were
seated along a round table and the discussion was audio recorded to ensure accuracy in the
researcher’s analysis. Once completed, the discussion was transcribed and pseudonyms were
assigned to each participant to ensure confidentiality.
The research included a total of 16 participants including four men and 12 women. All
participants were white. The age range of the participants was 17 to 57 years. In order to
complete a generational analysis of the three focus groups, the participants were divided into
three groups by age. The first group consisted of a total of six females ages 17 to 19. Three of
the participants were 17, two were 18 and one was 19 years of age. There were five high school
senior students and one college freshman. The focus group took place on Tuesday March 13,
2012 at 6:30 p.m. and lasted approximately 48 minutes.
The second focus group consisted of five participants with three females and two males.
The age range for this group was 24 to 31. Specifically, participants were 24, 25, 27, 30 and 31
25
years of age. Four out of the five participants were working professionals and one was a
master’s student. All were college educated and had a bachelor’s degree. The professions
included an elementary school teacher, a general manager for a sales company, a firefighter and a
physician’s assistant. The focus group took place on Thursday March 15, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. and
lasted approximately 53 minutes.
The third focus group also consisted of five participants with three females and two
males. The age range for this group was 47 to 57. Specifically, participants were 47, 50, 53, 55
and 57 years of age. All participants in this group were working professionals including two
doctors, one nurse, a chemistry lab supervisor and a transportation specialist. This focus group
took place on Friday March 16, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and lasted approximately 42 minutes.
All of the participants in the focus groups were asked a similar set of questions that were
divided into six categories. First, participants were asked a series of general questions related to
advertising, their personal advertising experiences, their entertainment experiences and their
purchasing decisions. The fifth category of questions was about more specific types of
advertising. Specifically, participants were asked to discuss questions about product placement,
product integration and branded entertainment.
Then, the groups were shown different examples of product integration and branded
entertainment via video clips from the Internet. For product integration, the 17-19 year old
group was shown an excerpt from a webisode series called, “Behind the Scenes.” The clip
coincides with the popular music singing competition, “American Idol,” and is presented by
Coca-cola (2012). This example was categorized as product integration because the product,
26
Coca-cola, played an active role in the narrative of the webisode series. The series explicitly
features the contestants drinking Coca-cola products.
For branded entertainment, they were shown a tween targeted webisode series called,
“First Day,” that shows episodes about high school. According to Trend Hunter Marketing, the
series was created “in collaboration with Alloy media and reportedly cost about 600,000 dollars
to make” (2011). It is a six-episode series of short seven to 10 minute videos that highlight
scenarios of high school teenage girls, all styled in K-mart clothing. This video was categorized
as branded entertainment because the mention of K-mart’s brand is non-existent throughout the
entire clip. K-mart is only mentioned in the opening credits. Also, this webisode series requires
high engagement on the consumers’ part because they have to seek the videos out themselves.
The second and third groups, 24-31 and 47-57 year olds, were both shown the same
product integration example. They were shown a video excerpt from, “The Biggest Loser,” a
popular reality competition show about contestants trying to lose weight. Specifically, they were
shown a clip called, “Brett’s Ziploc Advice,” where Ziploc was explicitly integrated into the
story line of the show (NBC Universal Media LLC, 2012). For branded entertainment, both
groups were shown different examples.
The 24-31 year old group was shown a video presented by Absolut Vodka called, “Lemon
Drop,” featuring actors, Ali Larter and Martin Kove. The short 10 minute film features Larter,
dressed in head to toe yellow and named Lemon Drop, solving the case of her stolen kittens. The
Absolut Vodka brand mention is not explicit throughout the film, however, every set is yellow,
Larter’s name reflects the drink they are promoting and she is seen sipping a yellow cocktail,
assumed to be the vodka.
27
The 47-57 year old group was shown a branded entertainment video presented by
Unilever for their antiperspirant, Degree. Unilever partnered with the television show, “24,” to
create the webisode series called, “The Rookie.” The series was created by MindShare
Performance/Entertainment. According to Mindshare, the stories were created and shot on the
set of “24” and the “content was turned into online webisodes featured on cturookie.com.
Viewers were driven to the web via Rookie teasers in TV, print, online and mobile
channels” (2007). The series received 1.4 million views and Degree for Men sales through
March 2007 were up 22 percent (Mindshare, 2007).
Finally, after the groups were shown specific examples and had a discussion regarding
them, they were asked a series of questions about ethics in advertising. See the Appendix for the
full moderator guide for all groups.
Results
Focus groups:
The three focus groups were analyzed for patterns and trends in the participants’
responses when asked generally and specifically about advertising, their experiences and
purchasing decisions. The results were divided into six categories by the researcher: General
feelings about advertising, overview of participants’ advertising experiences, overview of
participants’ entertainment experiences, consumers’ purchasing decisions related to advertising,
feelings about specific advertising practices and general feelings about ethics and advertising.
Each group was assigned a generational-type label. The 17-19 year-olds will be referred to as the
28
Teens Group, the 24-31 year olds will be referred to as the Young Adults Group and the 47-57
year olds will be referred to as the Middle-Aged Adults Group.
General feelings about advertising:
Participants were asked general questions about advertising to begin the focus groups.
When asked what first comes to mind when they think of advertising, all participants said
television commercials. This was consistent across all three groups. Additionally, all ages
mentioned billboards and being sold to as secondary thoughts about advertising. The Teens
Group was the only one to mention the Internet when asked the same question:
■
You see a billion ads a day. They are really all over the place like on the
Internet. Any time I try to search something an ad is always thereBrittany, 17
■
I would definitely say the Internet comes to mind. I’m on my computer all
the time for school and the ads just line the sides of any search engineAmanda, 19
The Middle-Aged Adults Group was the only group to explicitly state the practical uses
of advertising:
■
I also think of print ads and all the coupons I can cut out for food
shopping. For the sales so definitely coupons comes to mind- Kim, 55
When asked what it is about an advertisement that makes it work, the top three
components mentioned were humor, being memorable and having attractive people. These three
responses were discussed and brought up by all groups:
29
■
Having something catchy to say. I think advertisements when they are
catchy like with slogans you remember them more than the boring ones, so
if it’s funny or memorable then I think it’s a good ad- Kristie, 17
■
Definitely sex sells. That’s the first thing that came to my mind with
including attractive people and humor. I enjoy humorous commercialsBill, 53
■
Humor. I think that has got to be at the top of why any advertisement
would because a humorous ad is going to stick into your head- Rachel, 27
Further, the Teens Group also cited the use of celebrities in advertisements for another
reason that makes them work, while the Young Adults Group cited the use of celebrities as a
component of advertisements that does not make them work:
■
Like a cute celebrity. If there is an actor I’m definitely going to want to
watch it more- Amanda, 19
■
Stuff with celebrities because I just really don’t find them to be normal
people. That does not relate to me -Karen, 24
Overview of participants’ advertising experiences:
All three groups expressed both positive and negative sentiments toward their overall
advertising experiences citing a range of responses such as advertisements are annoying, easily
avoidable, bothersome, amusing, entertaining and informational. The Teens Group and the
Young Adults Group both expressed that they try to avoid or ignore advertisements whenever
possible:
30
■
There are just so many channels you can choose from. I can just flip back
and forth to avoid them and my attention span is small so if there is a
commercial on I immediately flip the channel- Jack, 30
■
I’ll fast-forward through commercials if I can or purposely not pay
attention to them because I don’t have to- Brooke, 17
Generally, participants did not mind advertisements if they were relevant to them or if
they were not forced to watch them:
■
If I am looking for something I will seek out the advertisement- Kim, 55
■
I just don’t like being forced to watch them. It’s inconvenient- Rob, 31
While all three groups said the top three mediums where they experience advertising the
most are on television, billboards while driving and the Internet, only the Teens Group and the
Young Adults Group mentioned Facebook as a platform in which they experience a lot of
advertisements. Conversely, the Middle-Aged Adults Group was the only group that mentioned
print newspapers as places where they are also likely to experience advertisements:
■
It’s all over Facebook now. I will go on and literally see ads on the side
and they are tailored to me like where I shop. It’s really creepy actuallyLana, 25
■
Definitely newspapers in the top three for me personally- Diane, 47
Overview of participants’ entertainment experiences:
All age groups preferred to watch television over any other medium citing convenience as
the number one reason. When asked how they felt about advertisements being included within
the entertainment shows they watch, participants agreed that this practice does not bother them.
31
This was consistent across all ages. The Teens Group and the Young Adults Group actually
preferred when products are included in entertainment shows citing several different reasons:
■
When it’s a real product that I would use like I drink soda or I use that
type of computer, I think when you include it in a show it makes it more
realistic- Lana, 25
■
It doesn’t bother me if it’s like an every day object- Gina, 18
Although the majority of participants preferred real products in television shows,
generally they believe that it can be overdone:
■
If it’s super obvious then I think it’s too much, but if it makes sense and
like you notice it, but don’t notice it, I think that’s fine- Brooke, 17
■
I’d still rather see the real brand. I really think it can be somewhat
distracting if it’s all these fake brands where you know the real ones
should be- Brittany, 17
Consumers’ purchasing decisions related to advertising:
When asked what it is about an advertisement that makes them want to buy a product, the
most common responses were that it has to look good or nice, have a cool factor and be relatable.
The majority of participants said, as consumers, they were more likely to buy a product if they
felt they needed or wanted what was being advertised. Additionally, the Teens Group and the
Young Adults Group both brought up product integration in television shows, citing that being
able to see the product in use was effective:
■
I watch the fishing channel all the time and a lot of the shows use in-show
advertising. You see like reality shows with the guys in the show actually
32
using these products and they don’t like mention “hey this is so and so
product” so it’s cool because you get to see them use it and then you’ll see
the formal ad like the commercial for it and I’m just like that works for
me- Rob, 31
■
When I see clothes in shows like in Gossip Girl. I want all their clothes so
when I see people wearing something cute I’m just like I want to know
where they got that because I want to wear it so I’ll go online and look it
up because I want to buy it so I think it’s useful when they do stuff like
that- Tiffany, 18
Furthermore, all groups agreed that an advertisement has to make sense to them and that
when advertisements are not targeted correctly they are ineffective:
■
Things that I hate are those stupid insurance commercials. Everything
that pretty much doesn’t apply to me- Brittany, 17
■
I think its smart when advertising is very targeted like people who watch
the Golf Channel or the Fishing Channel. These are niche groups of
people so that advertising is sure to be effective you know- Karen, 24
■
If something is being advertised that is ideologically different than me it’s
not going to be effective- Frank, 57
Feelings about product placement & product integration:
When asked if the participants have heard of product placement, 11 out of the 16 said yes.
Although the majority had heard the term, generally they did not know the meaning. After
providing the groups with a formal definition of product placement, the Teens Group was the
33
only group to explicitly state positive feelings about it and all participants in that group agreed
that both product placement and product integration works for them:
■
It usually does work for me like in shows if [actors] look happy like
they’re having fun drinking it or wearing it, it makes it more like you want
to have it- Kristie, 17
■
It definitely works for me- Brittany, 17
■
It’s like in Jersey Shore when they are driving nice cars--the Cadillac
Escalades-- so you want to drive a nice car now too- Gina, 18
■
Like if a celebrity is wearing something I like then it definitely makes me
want to have it more because I want to be like them, well not like them, but
they are cool to me so if they like it then I probably will too- Amanda, 19
When asked the same question, the participants in Young Adults Group and the MiddleAged Adults Group all agreed that product placement and product integration does not work for
them. These two groups were generally more negative toward product placement than the Teens
Group, however, participants in the Young Adults Group admitted that they could see how this
type of advertising could work on other people. In the following excerpt, Jack, 30, is talking
about the show, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and the Coors Light product placement:
■
I gotta tell you that works because people love that show and I guarantee
you people will go out and drink Coors Light because they love the
characters on that show. I guarantee it- Jack, 30
34
■
When I was in high school we totally fell for that. We used to watch
commercials and stuff and the beer we chose was the beer that we thought
was the coolest commercial we saw on TV- Rob, 31
Further, the participants in the Middle-Aged Adults Group all argued that this type of
advertising does not affect them at all. Out of the three groups, they were the most negative
toward product placements:
■
It doesn’t affect me if it blends in and is realistic it’s fine, but if I think they
are promoting [a product] then forget it- Bill, 53
■
If I become aware of it, it turns me off. If I actually think that show that I
am watching because I like to watch it is pushing a product, I don’t like
that- Mary, 50
■
[Advertisers] can definitely overdue it. They need to be careful about itFrank, 57
Overall, the Teens Group projected all positive feelings toward product placements and
integrations, the Young Adults Group projected mixed feelings and Middle-Aged Adults Group
projected mostly negative feelings.
Feelings about branded entertainment:
Out of the 16 participants, none of them had heard the term “branded entertainment.”
After providing a formal definition, the Teens Group was the only group that explicitly stated
positive feelings about it while the other two groups were indifferent. The participants in the
Teens Group described the concept of branded entertainment as cool, interesting, more realistic
and that it added something extra to the entertainment program. The participants in the Young
35
Adults Group said they were indifferent about the concept and that they believed it would not
make a difference whether they bought a product or not, however the majority also admitted that
they could see the potential for this advertising tactic to work for them. The participants in the
Middle-Aged Adults Group also agreed that it did not bother them, however, it would not make
them more likely to purchase an item. All participants in this group agreed that this type of
advertising would not work for them.
When asked if branded entertainment works for them, the majority of the participants in
the Teens Group agreed yes:
■
Yeah I think it does work for someone like me because I think it’s coolBrooke, 17
■
I think so because it makes you more familiar with the name so I think
that’s a big part of why it would work for me- Kristie, 17
■
Well too, if they use a new [make-up] product on a model and then it looks
really good like you want to get it so for me it kind of makes me want to
buy it- Tiffany, 18
The men in the Young Adults Group both agreed that branded entertainment would work
on them if done correctly. Although the majority of the Young Adults Group expressed that they
did not like the branded entertainment example shown to them (Absolut Vodka example), they
admitted that it could be effective if it was geared toward the right audience:
■
The product has a lot to do with it like the whole car thing--that won’t
work for women because it won’t appeal to them on that level. For me, I
could definitely be into something like that- Jack, 30
36
■
I agree if it is done right. It’s all about targeting- Rob, 31
Overall, every person in the Teens Group felt that branded entertainment was a good way
to sell a product and they all agreed that they would rather the brand not be mentioned
throughout the advertisement:
■
I think this is a really good way to advertise because it’s not in your face. I
don’t want it to be like, “This is from K-mart and I’m wearing it”-Gina, 18
■
We aren’t watching it because it’s K-mart like we would watch something
like this because it’s funny. I want to know what happens next so I am
probably going to look it up because you said it’s a web series. I want to
watch it because its like a TV show you know? It has a plot and I really
want to know what happens next to that girl!- Brittany, 17
■
I know! I am going to have to look it up. I didn’t know stores did things
like this. I mean it’s funny- Amanda, 19
■
Yeah, if I see something cute in it I know where it’s from, but I’m not killed
with the brand name of Kmart the entire time. It’s different and I like it
actually- Brooke, 17
■
And it’s also cool that it’s set up like a movie and you don’t really think it’s
an advertisement. Definitely cool- Kristie, 17
The Middle-Aged Adults Group expressed mostly negative reactions after being shown
the branded entertainment example (Degree Antiperspirant example):
■
I didn’t see that as an advertisement -Frank, 57
■
Was that a trick? - Diane, 47
37
■
I was looking for a product the whole time. I don’t get it- Mary, 50
■
I understand what they are doing. They are proposing a very high tense
situation and the guy needs antiperspirant which is meant to control it, but
I think it’s a complete waste of time. I’d rather in the middle of that scene
see somewhere where they mention it- Bill, 53
The majority of the participants in this group were confused by the advertisement and did
not grasp the concept of willingly seeking out the webisode series online. In addition to calling it
a waste of time, members of the group also described this type of advertising as terrible and
useless. They all agreed that they would rather the brand be explicitly mentioned throughout the
advertisement. Only one participant in the Middle-Aged Adults Group had anything positive to
say about it:
■
I think it could work for some people, but if it’s a good product like I said
before I would be more willing to look it up. I actually like that they didn’t
really mention the brand. It’s different- Kim, 55
Overall, the majority of the participants in the Teens Group perceived branded
entertainment to be an effective way to advertise, the Young Adults Group believed in its
potential to be effective as long as it is targeted correctly and the Middle-Aged Adults Group did
not believe this type of advertising to be effective.
Views about ethics & advertising:
Generally, all participants felt that they did not need to be told when they are being
advertised to and that they did not need to know if companies are being paid to include products
38
within the entertainment programs. These feelings were consistent across all three groups, citing
that such deals were assumed by the viewer.
When asked if participants could describe advertisements they believed to be offensive,
both the Young Adults Group and the Middle-Aged Adults Group cited political advertisements:
■
I think political advertisements can be offensive because you’re only going
to appeal to half the people technically- Rob, 31
■
I think offense has a lot to do with what you believe in so definitely
political ads would be a good example- Karen, 24
■
I find it offensive when advertisements assert anything extreme political
ideologies- Frank, 57
■
I think it’s safe to say anything that has a political agenda can be seen as
offensive if it does not reflect our beliefs- Kim, 55
Also, the Middle-Aged Adults Group participants all agreed that anything that has to do
with private and personal lives is offensive including tampon, erectile dysfunction and underwear
commercials.
When asked if they would not purchase a product because of an advertisement, the Young
Adults Group and Middle-Aged Adults Group both agreed yes, while the Teens Group said no:
■
I would be more likely to not buy something because of an ad than to buy
something because of an ad. For example, celebrities can be very
powerful in ads, but if they are polarizing they are going to eliminate a
certain percentage of the population- Frank, 57
39
■
Absolutely. If I didn’t agree with, or like, the person in the ad then I
absolutely would not buy the product- Lana 25
Discussion
The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of consumers’ perceptions
and attitudes regarding current advertainment practices. Using the established advertainment
typology, the focus groups were conducted to further explore the participants’ feelings about the
effectiveness of product placement (the visual appearance of a product in an entertainment
vehicle), product integration (the inclusion of a product that has an active role in the narrative of
an entertainment program) and branded entertainment (product inclusion that typically requires
high engagement and interactivity). This discussion offers an in-depth exploration of the
participants’ responses to questions about current advertainment practices based on the degree of
integration of the brand in the entertainment content from the lowest level of integration (product
placement) to the highest level (branded entertainment).
This section addresses and seeks to answer the initial research questions about the impact
of current advertainment practices on consumers’ purchasing decisions, the effectiveness of
brand integrations at different degrees of integration and the generational differences among the
three focus groups: Teens Group, Young Adults Group and Middle-Aged Adults Group.
Specifically, it first discusses the implications regarding general consumer beliefs about
advertising. This covers topics including purchasing decisions, personal entertainment
experiences and individual advertising experiences. Next, it analyzes and discusses the explicit
generational differences of the respondents’ attitudes regarding product placement, product
40
integration and branded entertainment. Finally, this section includes a brief discussion about
consumers’ views on the legality and ethicality of advertising practices. Since this is a
generational analysis, implications across the three age categories are emphasized and discussed
in detail.
All of the focus group participants were asked questions about how they generally felt
about advertising, their personal advertising experiences and their entertainment experiences.
For the most part, their responses reflected a combination of position and negative feelings
toward advertising, similar to what researchers in the past have found (Pollay & Mittal, 1993).
All three focus groups had participants that mentioned that advertisements were information
sources, enjoyable, meant to sell products, sometimes deceiving and sometimes not targeted to
the correct audience. Since these common consumer beliefs were collectively agreed upon by all
ages, it is clear that advertising is generally understood the same way by all age groups in this
study.
Similarly, the majority of participants in all groups agreed that advertisements need to be
memorable, humorous, frequent and relatable to be effective. This notion is also reflected in the
literature pertaining to the theoretical premise that enjoyment is at the heart of entertainment and
that entertainment is influenced by the affective qualities of the individual viewers. The findings
suggest that positive or negative affective responses to brands truly affect the way a product is
received by the public, no matter what age. This implication further supports the theoretical
notion that the emotional affective aspect of information processing significantly influences
consumers’ purchasing decisions.
41
For example, if a respondent had a positive affiliation with a certain brand or an existing
brand loyalty, the more likely he or she was to buy the product, however the majority of
respondents also made it clear that their decision to purchase a product was not necessarily
because of the advertisement. All of the respondents in the Young Adults Group and the MiddleAged Adults Group explicitly stated that advertisements did not influence their decisions to buy
products. However, despite their explicit adamant assertions, several of the respondents
implicitly mentioned how advertisements entice them to buy products. This implicates that
advertisements really are effective, despite the respondents’ explicit denial that they are not.
For a specific example from the Young Adults Group, Rachel, 27, claimed to “not notice
advertisements” early in the session, but later talked about how she impulse purchases make-up
when she walks through a store and sees an eye product that says it can emphasize blue eyes.
Rachel was not the only one to contradict herself throughout the focus group. These
contradictions indicate that people feel like they have to not only defend their purchasing
decisions, but also are hesitant to give advertisements any credit. This mirrors the theme that as
the participants’ ages increased, so did their skepticism and general negativity toward
advertising.
Respondents in the two older groups also asserted that they did not care to know when
they were being sold to. It is possible that the respondents were hesitant to give advertisements
credit because then they would have to not only acknowledge the advertisement, but they would
also have to recognize that they were sold to and that the advertisement worked on them. None
of the respondents in the two older groups admitted that advertisements specifically work on
42
them, rather, the majority agreed that they could see how the different types of advertisements
shown to them could work for other people.
The only focus group that was not hesitant to explicitly admit that advertisements are
effective on them was the Teens Group. The older groups could potentially feel that admitting to
the effectiveness of advertisements means they have given in to the marketers. Both of the older
groups felt they needed to defend their purchases. By not explicitly admitting to purchasing
products because of advertisements or unknowingly contradicting themselves throughout the
focus group discussion, they still maintained control in the sense that they buy products on their
own terms and not because someone told them to do so.
One major difference that emerged in the comparison of the different age groups was that
the Teens Group felt the use of celebrities was a particularly important component of an effective
advertisement. The Young Adults Group and Middle-Aged Adults Group both mentioned
celebrities as an ineffective component of an advertisement and both adamantly asserted that the
use of celebrities would not work on them. Outright, this suggests that teenagers are more likely
to be influenced by celebrities than older generations, but beyond the obvious, this finding also
supports the notion that targeted marketing is extremely important in the advertising sphere.
What is extremely effective and works for one age group is not necessarily true for another.
Also, with the Teens Group the parasocial relationship phenomena, where audiences feel
deeply connected to characters, was more pronounced. The parasocial relations for the teens
were enhanced through celebrity connection, an association that was clearly lost on the two older
groups when it came to advertising. In fact, the two older groups felt more of a connection to the
use of “real people” in advertisements because they felt they were more representative of them.
43
While the two older groups felt differently about celebrity association in advertisements, they
still experienced the parasocial relationship with what they viewed to be real people. As long as
audiences are able to emotionally connect with the people in an advertisement or entertainment
program, the more likely it will be successful. There is an elevated importance on the ability to
create an advertisement that is emotionally relatable to the audience.
Further, the Teens Group emanated an attitude that embraced the fact that advertisements
were meant to sell them products and that sometimes they were successful in garnering their
attention, whether it influenced them to look a product up on the Internet or to actually buy the
product. Their willingness to accept advertising in this way was drastically different than the
Young Adults Group and Middle-Aged Adults Group. The older the ages of the participants, the
more cynical and negative the commentary was toward advertising, whether it was about
traditional commercial messages, product placements, product integrations or branded
entertainment. This finding suggests that as people get older, they become more skeptical of
advertising and the advertisers’ intents. The younger the participants were, the more willing they
were to embrace change and different ways of advertising. These feelings were more enhanced
when the groups were asked questions about the advertainment typology specifically.
When asked about product placement, product integrations and branded entertainment,
the Teens Group continued to assert diverging attitudes and perceptions when compared with the
two older groups. The teens were the only ones to explicitly state positive feelings about brand
integrations within entertainment content and all the participants in that group admitted that this
type of embedded advertising worked for them. This further emphasizes their willingness to
44
accept innovation regarding the enhanced use of technology and branded integrations to sell
products.
As aforementioned in the literature review, this implication supports the affective
disposition theory first posited by Dolf Zillmann (Vorderer, 2006). The theory emphasizes the
relationships that audiences develop with media characters and is characterized by deeply
immersive elements. The willingness and overall positive attitude of the Teens Group supports
the literature that contends that younger generations are seeking an experience that is more
immersive and requires a higher level of interactivity, like branded entertainment for instance.
According to the literature, younger generations, similar to the teenagers in this study, are
adapting to the transition from passive viewers to active users.
Additionally, it is interesting to note that as the ages increased, so did the participants’
overall skepticism toward this type of embedded advertising. This could be due to the fact that
the teens were more technologically advanced than the older generations. Further, the digital
landscape of today’s contemporary world allows individuals, especially teenagers, the
opportunity to multi-task virtually any time of the day in any place they choose. This generation
is used to the infiltration of new media and innovative technologies so the introduction of
advertainment practices like product integration and branded entertainment is not only accepted,
but welcomed.
In contrast, the majority of the Middle-Aged Adults Group could not even fathom how
the concept of branded entertainment could ever be successful in the advertising realm. Their
reactions to the branded entertainment example shown in their focus group (Degree
Antiperspirant), where they asserted it was “terrible” and “useless,” could not have been more
45
oppositional to the reactions received by the teens, who described their branded entertainment
example (K-Mart clothing) as “cool,” “different” and “entertaining.” Only a couple of the
participants in the Young Adults Group admitted that they could see how this type of advertising
could work if it was done right, however, their initial group reaction to the branded entertainment
example shown to their group (Absolut Vodka) was generally not favorable.
Another notable finding to mention is that the results in this study do not reflect the
conventional concerns critiques have argued pertaining to the practice of embedded or stealth
advertising. As previously mentioned, the literature suggests the controversial debate
surrounding this type of advertising revolves widely around the fact that it is deceptive and
unethical due to its subversive qualities. Further criticisms continue to circulate about the
expanding practice of product integrations in entertainment content.
However, while the literature asserts that one of the main reasons audiences dislike the
branded entertainment advertising techniques is because it is viewed as deceitful, the majority of
the participants in the Middle-Aged Adults Group agreed they did not like the branded
entertainment because the product was not visible and not because they felt it was deceptive.
The branded entertainment technique, especially when the brand name or product is almost nonexistent, does not align with the conventions of traditional advertising. This left the MiddleAged Adults Group in disaccord and they simply would not consider this type of marketing as a
viable technique to employ.
Furthermore, their reactions could potentially mirror their collective skepticism they had
regarding advanced technologies. The trend that emerged as a result of this finding was that the
more technologically advanced a participant was, the more willing he or she was to accept or
46
assert positive feelings toward branded entertainment. The teens were the most receptive, the
young adults had mixed feelings and the middle-aged adults, for the most part, would not even
consider the possibility that branded entertainment could be a successful advertising technique.
In fact, the middle-aged adults remained fixated on the fact that the product or brand name was
non-existent throughout the entirety of the branded entertainment example. They were much
more receptive to traditional commercial messaging where the product is the focal point. As a
group, they felt this type of advertising was not only more successful, but also more acceptable.
This further defines the generational lines and emphasizes the differing attitudes and
perceptions the separate age groups asserted. Interestingly, all of the participants across all three
focus groups felt that they did not need to know when they were being advertised to, did not
need to be told if they were viewing an advertisement and had no interest in knowing about the
paid deals between the entertainment networks and product marketers. Generally, the
participants were unconcerned with regulatory disclosure and brand transparency in the context
of marketing products via the integration of brands within entertainment content. The
divergence in attitudes emerged as questions about product integrations and branded
entertainment were asked. Overall, the younger the participants were, the more willing and
accepting they were of innovative advertainment practices that did not include explicit brand
disclosure, like branded entertainment.
Conclusion
The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of consumers’ attitudes,
feelings and overall perceptions of the fusion of advertising and entertainment to sell or promote
47
products. The contemporary technological landscape of today is saturated with digital
innovations, which has led to an entirely new and revamped way of advertising to consumers.
The integration of branded products within entertainment content is becoming more and
more commonplace. In order to determine how advertainment impacts consumers’ purchasing
decisions and how effective such practices are across different age groups, a generational
analysis was completed.
Three focus groups comprised of teens, young adults and middle-aged adults were
assembled, conducted and analyzed. The participants’ responses were qualitatively examined
and the implications, trends and patterns that emerged as a result were discussed in-depth. Since
advertainment marketing techniques are becoming increasingly popular, this research is purposed
to gain a better understanding of how audiences perceive such innovative strategies.
Summation of results:
Overall, the results were indicative of several notable implications regarding advertising
in general, product integrations and branded entertainment. To summarize, the six following
trends, patterns and assertions emerged as a result of an in-depth analysis of the three focus
groups. Significant generational differences are highlighted:
■
Consumer purchasing decisions are influenced by affective emotional
appeals.
■
Advertisements do influence consumers’ decisions to buy products.
■
Branded entertainment is more effective when it is extremely nichetargeted.
48
■
Consumers are more receptive to branded entertainment if they are
technologically advanced.
■
The younger generation is more accepting of product integrated marketing
techniques, especially branded entertainment.
■
The older generation prefers the conventions of traditional commercial
messaging where the product is visible in the advertisement.
Study significance:
This research provides results that have the potential to benefit several people including
marketing professionals, communication strategists, advertisement creators and even innovators.
The significant findings indicate important advertising components that marketers should include
in their marketing strategies.
For example, the results suggest that all advertisements must have an affective emotional
appeal in order to successfully connect with the audience. This finding was consistent across all
ages. This research offers insider consumer insight into what makes an advertisement effective
or ineffective. This information is particularly useful to marketing professionals, ad creators and
communication strategists.
Further, the results of this study may also serve a purpose to innovators as well. Since the
entire project emerged as a result of increasing innovations and advanced technologies,
innovators may be interested to know how consumers feel about the modern advances and why
they feel that way. Innovators can keep this information in mind and use it to their advantage
when creating, designing and introducing new products to the market.
49
Study limitations & future recommendations:
The results of this research cannot be generalized to the broader public due to the
qualitative nature employed for this study and the limited time in which the research was
completed. Since the research used a convenience sample, the results are not representative of
the entire population and cannot be generalized to each age grouping in the study. Also, the
participants lacked diversity in ethnicity and gender. All of the respondents were white and out
of the 16 that participated, only four were men. There were no male participants in the Teens
Group. Additionally, all focus groups were conducted in a localized area so there was no
geographic diversity.
For future research, it is recommended that the research be conducted on a wider
geographic scale with more than three focus groups. Additionally, the results would be more
representative of the general population with the inclusion of a more diverse participant pool that
includes all races, ethnicities and genders in all age-specific groupings. Also, it may be
interesting to include a Senior Group with participants that are 65 years or older. Having this
group may be significant to include for a more accurate generational analysis. However, further
quantitative methods of research need to be employed to accurately reach a more representative
portrait of consumers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding current advertainment practices.
50
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APPENDIX: Focus Group Moderator Guide
Moderator Guide and Script
__________________________________________________________________
Introduction - Explanation of Project
Good Morning (Afternoon). First, I would like to thank all of you for participating in this focus
group. My name is Judy Millili, I am a graduate student at American University and I will be serving
as your moderator today.
The goal of this session is to obtain your feedback about current advertising practices. The valuable
comments and group discussion you provide today will shed light on consumer attitudes toward and
feelings about the different types of advertising. Your participation in this study is helping me
complete my master’s degree.
Directions
In the next hour, I will be taking notes and audio recording your discussion. I would like everyone to
talk and contribute as much as possible, as it will help to evaluate the how your age group feels about
this topic.
I will begin by asking a series of questions related to advertising. I will also be showing you a short
clip(s) of advertising examples and then ask for your thoughts and feelings about them.
Consent Forms
Now, I am going to pass out consent forms. I will read it aloud and answer any questions that you
may have.
[READ CONSENT FORM]
Does anyone have any questions about what I am asking you to do today? [HAVE THEM SIGN
CONSENT FORMS AND PASS THEM TO ME]
Questions
The first series of questions I am going to ask you have to do with advertising in general. I will ask
you to have a discussion about advertising, your personal experiences and purchasing decisions.
1. When you think of advertising what first comes to mind? PROBE: What else comes to mind when
you think of advertising?
2. What do you think makes an advertisement work? PROBE: What else makes it work?
3. What makes an advertisement not work? PROBE: What else makes it not work?
4. What needs to be in an advertisement to make it good? PROBE: What else needs to be in it to
make it good?
5. What is in an advertisement that makes it not work? PROBE: What else is in an ad that makes it
not work?
Now I am going to ask you some questions about your advertising experiences.
54
6. How would you describe your advertising experiences? [IF THIS QUESTION IS UNCLEAR
ASK: How do you feel about advertising--good, bad, etc?] PROBE: Why would you describe your
experience in this way?
7. Where are you most likely to come across or see advertising? [IF UNCLEAR ASK: What media
do you watch the most (tv, online, movies, etc) where you see advertising?
8. What do you like about advertising? PROBE: What else do you like?
9. What do you not like about advertising? PROBE: What else don’t you like?
The next few questions are about your entertainment experiences.
10. There are many different kinds of media where you can watch entertainment, such as TV, online,
theatre, etc. What media do you most often use to watch entertainment? PROBE: What media do
you use to the second most? third most?
11. Why do you prefer one media over another? [EXAMPLE: Why do you prefer TV over online
streaming?]
12. How do you feel when you see advertising included in the entertainment program you are
watching? PROBE for negative and positive responses
Now I am going to ask you a couple of questions about your purchasing decisions.
13. So when you see an advertisement, can you think of what makes you want to buy something?
PROBE What makes you not want to buy something?
14. When a product is included in an entertainment program, what about it makes you more or less
willing to purchase it?
15. Have you ever bought a product on an impulse? PROBE: If yes, do you remember what
products? Why did you buy the product on impulse?
16. What is it about a product that makes you buy it on impulse? PROBE: What else?
OKAY, now I am going to talk a little about specific types of advertising. I am going to ask you a
series of questions about each type. It is okay if you have not heard of these terms before. I will
explain anything that is unclear to you. The first specific type of advertising I am going to ask
questions about is called Product Placement.
17. How many of you have heard of the term product placement? [COUNT HOW MANY PEOPLE
AND MAKE A NOTE OF IT]
18. What first comes to mind when you think of product placement? PROBE: Can you think of any
examples of product placement?
DEFINE PRODUCT PLACEMENT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS: Generally, product placement is
defined as: When a brand or product is included within the entertainment program. For example, it
is the visual appearance of a brand in a show such as Sony in Britney Spears’ music video for Hold it
Against Me, Coors Light in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Apple Ipad in Modern Family or
Manolo Blahnik in Sex & the City.
19. How do you feel when products are included in entertainment programs? PROBE: for negative
and positive responses
20. Does product placement work for a person like you? PROBE: Why (or why not) does product
placement work for a person like you?
Now, I am going to show you an example of product placement. [SHOW GROUP THE
SELECTED EXAMPLE OF PRODUCT PLACEMENT: “American Idol” for teens and “The
Biggest Loser” for the young adults and middle-aged adults]
55
21. How do you feel about the product placement in this entertainment program? PROBE: What
about it makes you feel that way?
The second type of advertising I am going to ask questions about is branded entertainment.
22. How many of you have heard of the term branded entertainment? [COUNT HOW MANY
PEOPLE AND MAKE A NOTE OF IT]
23. What do you think branded entertainment is?
24. Can you think of any examples of branded entertainment that you could share with the group?
DEFINE BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS: Generally, branded
entertainment is when products are included in entertainment shows as part of the story. The product
has to make sense to the plot of the story. For example: Style Me with Rachel Hunter partnered with
L’Oreal and Payless Shoe Source, FedEx and Wilson in Castaway, Reece’s Pieces in ET, etc. Does
anyone have any questions?
25. How do you feel about including brands as part of the story in entertainment programs? PROBE:
Why do you feel that way?
26. Do you feel that branded entertainment works for a person like you? [IF UNCLEAR, ASK: Does
including products in the story lines of entertainment work for you as a good way to market a
product?] PROBE: What works about it? PROBE: What doesn’t work?
Now, I am going to show you a clip of branded entertainment. Today, advertisers are looking for
new ways to reach their audiences so they have started to advertise to the public by making their
products the center of entertainment. I have selected an example, about 10 minutes, to show you.
As you watch, please think about how, as a consumer, this advertisement strategy works or doesn’t
work for a person like you. [SHOW GROUP THE SELECTED EXAMPLE OF BRANDED
ENTERTAINMENT: Show teens K-mart clip, young adults Absolut Vodka and middle-aged adults
Degree Antiperspirant]
27. How did you feel about this advertisement? PROBE: What about the advertisement made you
feel that way?
28. This type of advertising does not outright mention the brand it is promoting throughout the mini
film. Do you feel this is a good way to sell a product? PROBE: What makes you feel that way?
29. Do you feel the product name should be mentioned during an advertisement?
The last series of questions I am going to ask you have to do with ethics in advertising.
30. Do you feel that you should be told when you are being advertised to?
31. Do you feel that you should know if companies are being paid to include certain products
in their entertainment programs?
32. Can you describe any advertisements that you believe to be offensive? PROBE: What is it about
these ads makes them offensive?
33. Have you ever not purchased a product because you did not agree with the advertising? PROBE:
What about an advertisement would make you not want to purchase the product?
__________________________________________________________________
Ending
Does anyone have any questions? Thank you very much for your participation.
56