Emotion & Mere Exposure
in Advertising
Adapted from J. Scott Armstrong
Emotion & Mere Exposure 27
July 2014
Outline of this lecture
3.1 Emotional focus
3.2 Trust
3.3 Self-expression
3.4 Guilt
3.5 Fear
3.6 Provocation
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Learning Diary
The lectures follow an experiential learning experience.
To make this work properly:
1. Obtain a learning diary (paper). Suggest 10 x 13
bound diary.
2. Keep it up to date.
3. Take the learning diary with you to all class sessions.
4. For self-learners, use the diary to track your
learning progress for all of your learning activities.
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Objectives of this session
To understand and apply these principles and
techniques (not to convince you). Ask for clarification as
needed.
Set a goal for yourself on how many principles and
techniques you plan to use by the end of this session.
Even a goal of one will help you. Put this in your learning
diary now.
Note: We will discuss only some of the slides. When you go
through the lecture on your own, view it in “Slide Show” and
follow the experiential procedures.
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Procedure
Focus on understanding.
Record questions in your learning diary that will help
you to apply the techniques or principles, then,
after you decide which ones you want to apply, try
to answer these from the readings. If not clear, ask
others for help.
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Possible problem to consider
Imagine it is 1985 and your client believes that he
has discovered evidence of global warming.
Not many people have heard of global warming.
Your advertising agency has been asked to prepare
an advertising campaign for the US public. What
might you be able to use from this lecture? Write
your thoughts in your learning diary.
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Emotion
When should you use emotion in ads? Write down
some ideas in your learning diary.
In 1,059 tested TV commercials,
37% used emotional appeals for
• well-known brands and
• frequently purchased products, with
• situations with a low need for information
(Stewart and Furse 1986)
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Should all ads use emotion?
If you build a mood, don’t spoil it with a rational
argument, and if you have good information, do
not distract viewers with emotion.
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.85-86 for evidence)
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Good
application?
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Good
application?
“’He gets a lot to
like— filter,
flavor, flip-top
box.’ The works.”
A filter means
business, etc.
Good
application?
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Do not mix rational and emotional appeals in an ad
(3.1.1)
Experiments:
In ads for donations to “Save the Children,” the description of a victim
alone had more donations than when statistics were added (Small, et al.
2006)
In 80 auto ads, those with both rational & emotional appeals had lower on
recall than ads limited to one appeal (Mehta & Purvis 2006).
Non-experimental data:
TV commercials: ads with “a balance of rational and emotional appeals
were poorer on comprehension” (Stewart & Furse 2003)
Non-experimental eye-tracking studies on TV commercials: Subjects were
overwhelmed when both emotion and information were present (Elpers,
Wedel & Pieters 2003)
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Truth in advertising
Soon after tobacco was
introduced to England,
by the 16th century, it
was recommended as a
treatment for
toothaches, worms, bad
breath, and cancer.
Tobacco advertisers
continued to advertise
health benefits of
tobacco up through the
1950s.
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… we get the truth in most advertising
Predict the percentage of people who agree in your
learning diary:
7
____%
Very confident
38
____%
Only fairly confident
51
____%
Not at all confident
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.87 for evidence)
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Volvo
How would you ensure that this ad is ethical?
The producers of the ad had inserted wood timbers
to strengthen the Volvo.
Eventually, one of the carpenters told his buddies
about the ad. It became a major news story and
Volvo and its ad agency suffered.
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.87 for additional evidence)
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How would you ensure this ad is truthful?
1. Write your
answer in your
diary.
2. What would
you do if it were
false?
3.How can you
protect against
lying?
Click here for
some answers
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Suggested answers
1. Get name and contact for the person
pictured, then visit them.
2. Fire the agency
3. Ask people on the advertising team to sign
an ethics statement, before doing an
advertisement and after.
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Actual photo
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Do not make false or misleading statements
“Truth is the prime essential in advertising”Printer’s Ink, 1894
Sign an ethical standards statement for each ad.
(3.2.1.)
Could you have this done in your company?
How effective would that be?
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Experiments on using ethical statements
Students at MIT asked to solve puzzles, and then given
answers and asked to self-grade for rewards. Write your
predictions in your diary.
most
What percent cheated? ____
Another group was asked to write as many of the 10
commandments as they could prior to doing the puzzles.
none
What percent cheated? ____
Replicated at Yale and MIT with the Honor Code treatment.
There are no honor codes at MIT and Yale.
Ref: Mazar, Amir & Ariely 2008
Unfortunately, the effects were small when subjects acted
the role as an employee (unpublished study). Adprin.com 20
Sign an ethical standards statement for each ad (3.2.1)
This beach is in
Hawaii. Would
you sign if you
knew that?
(See Persuasive
Advertising, p.87 for
additional evidence)
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Show how the product allows customers to
express their personalities (3.3.1)
"When everyone is somebody, then no one's
anybody."
- The Gondoliers, Gilbert and Sullivan
You should probably be subtle, not like:
“More horses. Bigger engine. Increased envy.”
- Mercedes Benz
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3.3.1 – Show how the product allows customers
to express their personalities – Chivas Regal
Scotch – Supports
“Tsk, tsk” using
the text: “After a
party, the host is
often faced with
several almost
empty Scotch
bottles. And
there’s a natural
tendency to
consolidate the
leftovers into a
single bottle.
Guess whose.”
Water conservation by swimmers
Swimmers on the way to the showers were asked:
– A) “Do you always turn the water off while soaping up or
shampooing?” (To be Mindful)
– B) To help by printing name on a flyer, “Please conserve water.
Take shorter showers. Turn showers off while soaping up. If I can
do it, so can you!” (To make a Commitment)
– C) A & B
– Group D was control
The control group spent 302 seconds in the shower. How much
time did the other groups spend? Predict in your learning diary.
A & B each spent 248 seconds, an 18% reduction
C spent 221 seconds, a 27% reduction
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.90-91for evidence)
Lead people to think about their standards (3.4.1)
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Lead people to think about their standards (3.4.1)
An ad about
young men
going off to
WWI
(See Persuasive
Advertising, p.89
for evidence)
“Next time
you are on
the train,
remember
the kid in
Upper 4. If
there is no
berth for
you – it is so
that he may
sleep.”
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Lead people to think about their standards (3.4.1)
Young boy
going to the
orphanage –
an early and
proper use
on the
principle
“They said
father didn't
keep his Life
Insurance
paid up”
Is this a good
application?
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Margarine experiment
You are in a supermarket and there is an ad for
margarines. You are offered samples of fat free
and regular margarine. Would the presence of the
mirror affect how much you eat of either type of
margarine? Write your answer in your learning
diary.
A mirror led to a 20% reduction in the consumption
of full-fat margarine due to self-awareness guilt.
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.91 for evidence)
Evoke self-awareness (3.4.2)
Can you apply this to advertising for a charity that
you like?
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Honesty box application
How would you use the self awareness principle to
increase donations to an honesty box for drinks in a
university lounge--other than using mirrors? Write
ideas in your learning diary.
Put a pair of eyes over a donation box. This increased
donations by 300% (Bateson et al 2006)
Additional testing in Cape Cod & San Antonio supported
results but with smaller effects. (reported on 91-92 of
PA)
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Encourage people to anticipate their guilt if
they ignore reasonable advice (3.4.3.)
Anticipatory guilt is the most common of the guilt
approaches in advertising -- 62% of fear appeals.
(Huhmann and Brotherton 1979)
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Buckle up for safety
What type of advertising campaign would lead
people to use seat belts in the back seats of
automobiles?
Always wear a seatbelt
The campaign increased the usage of seat belts in the
rear seat from 48% to 59%.
This is an example of “anticipatory guilt.”
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Ad for a call-waiting service
A print ad for call-waiting telephone service in the U.K.
described an incident:
“Your train’s cancelled. Your shoes leak. Your
son’s on the phone at home discussing where to
meet on Friday night – and you’re cursing
yourself for turning down this fine offer.”
What principle is involved here? Write your answer
in your learning diary.
Regret
It won an IPA Advertising Effectiveness Award
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The Habitat for Humanity experiment
Subjects completed a survey. They were then paid five one-dollar
bills and were asked to read a request for a donation to Habitat
for Humanity. It described four families that applied for help in
building a home. The instructions were identical except that
half said the donation was for
____ a) “the family that Habitat chose was _____.”
while the other half said
____ b) “the family that Habitat will that Habitat will choose.”
Which appeal had the highest contributions?
“a” was 100% higher than “b.” It helps to focus on specific people.
(Small & Loewenstein 2003)
Focus on victims similar to the target market (3.4.4)
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Fear
1. Does fear work in advertising?
Yes
2. What is most effective: mild, strong, or very
strong fear appeals?
Very strong
3. When using a fear appeal, what is the most
important thing to include in the ad?
Solutions: “Fear sets man deliberating – but no
one deliberates about things that are hopeless.”
Aristotle
Consider using a threat related to likely or severe
consequences that can be avoided (3.5.1)
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How to create fear
The importance of a threat is the likelihood of a bad outcome
times the amount of damage. But what affects perceived
threat?
To the extent that emphasis is placed on a possible fearful
outcome, people tend to ignore the probability of such an
event. This leads to irrational decisions when individuals do not
have to pay directly to solve the problem.
For example, the Three-mile Island Nuclear incident led to a 39year cancellation of new nuclear plant. It was estimated that
one life was lost (Sunstein & Zeckhauser 2011)
This ad was credited with swaying many votes:(Lyndon Johnson
campaign; 0:31)
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Sexual predators in London’s Illegal Minicabs
Regulated minicabs, special police unit, arresting
illegal drivers had little effect. Then they tried
advertising based on fear. It worked.
Headline: “Know what you are getting into.”
Fear message: “Last year over 200 women were
sexually assaulted in illegal minicabs.”
Solution: “Check that the minicab driver knows your
name and destination before you get in. Always sit
in the back and carry a mobile phone.”(See Persuasive
Advertising, p.95 for evidence)
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How to save baby seals
An ad in Women’s Day had the headline, “How to kill
a baby” under a picture of a baby seal. It
described how these trusting babies get smashed
by baseball bats.
This campaign led to a ban on killing baby seals in
Canada.
So what is the principle?
Provoke the customer only when it attracts
attention to a selling point (3.6.1)
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3.6.1 - Provoke
customers only when
it attracts attention
to a selling point –
Woman’s Day Complies
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Provoke customers only when it attracts attention to a selling point: Complies
(Principle 3.6.1)
Ad for
Bernardos,
a UK charity
Baby picture
for John
Donaldson,
now a drug
addict
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3.6.1 - Provoke
customers only when it
attracts attention to a
selling point – The
Samaritans - Complies
Shocking images and
controversial ideas are likely
to dominate people’s
attention; thus, they should
be related to a simple and
clear selling point.
- Discussed in Persuasive
Advertising, p. 96
Lyndon Johnson’s Daisy commercial: Complies
The Daisy commercial ran 2 months before the 1964
presidential election was regarded as being very
persuasive.
It ran only once, but was followed by much news
coverage.
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Gun amnesty (Australia) 0:48
1. Is provocation a good way to persuade here?
2. Does it reinforce previous beliefs?
3. Is the message simple?
4. Does it demonstrate usage or benefits?
5. Is it legal?
6. Is it ethical?
This was a highly effective commercial that helped to
strengthen gun control laws in Australia.
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Another successful provocation:
Paper towels
P&G’s Mr. Whipple was a fussy
supermarket manager who said,
“Ladies, please don’t squeeze the
Charmin!” to reinforce the selling
point that the toilet paper is soft and
absorbent. While he chastised
customers, he himself was a habitual
offender.
Next to Wisk’s “ring around the collar”
ads, this TV campaign was rated as
the most obnoxious ad of all time.
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Another success: The Bake sale
In 2003, an affirmative action bake sale was held on the UCLA
campus. It involved selling items at higher prices for white
students than for minorities. How would you respond if you
were President of UCLA?
National media attention was gained when university
administrators called the bake sales racist and discriminatory,
and tried to have them banned (scarcity).
The selling point was that such practices are analogous to the
affirmative action programs by universities.
The bake sale was extended in 2010 and 2011.
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Ad for watches: Violates
A print ad shows a person who has doused himself
with gasoline and then set himself on fire with the
caption, “Why kill time when you can kill yourself?”
Effective?
Not related to a selling point.
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How would you test this “Bungee jumpers”
Reebok ad Is it ethical? Effective?
Write your solution in your learning diary. If in a group
setting, give your solution to someone else to see if they
understand what you want them to do.
Copy testing with people such as a
bungee jumper,
customer,
owner of a similar company, and
Nike representative –
or people assigned to play such roles.
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.96-97 for discussion)
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No Pressure Campaign
This provocation commercial was produced with
support from major corporations and governments.
The objective was to gain support for government
efforts to reduce global warming.
Predict your reactions to this ad by putting yourself
in a role as a parent of young school-age children.
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Mere Exposure
“Familiarity breeds content.”
Brand name
Product placement
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When there is little need for information,
consider advertising the brand name (4.1.1.)
“If the merchant can make his name or brand to be
the habitual, recent, and vivid associate with his
class of goods … his success seems assured” (Scott
1912).
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Evidence for Mere Exposure
What if ads for a brand provided a brand name but gave you
no information about the brand. Would that lead you to
like the brand more?
Meta-analysis of 208 experiments concluded that repeated
exposure leads to increased liking for music, people,
repetition of meaningful words, and photographs
(Bornstein 1989).
Because you are not presenting arguments, it reduces the
possibility the target market will develop counterarguments.
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Companies pay to put their names on stadiums or
to sponsor events. Why?
It is based on mere exposure.
Expected to be most relevant for widely consumed
products that reflect on social awareness.
However, none of 233 studies of corporate sponsorship
provided empirical support for the cost-effectiveness of
mere exposure (Wallister 2003).
Calculate the ROI.
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U.S Post Office spent $40 million to sponsor
Lance Armstrong’s cycling team from 1996-2002.
Was it worthwhile?
Write your estimate of the increase in revenues in
your learning diary.
A US Government analysis showed increased revenues
of less than one million dollars. (A net loss of over $39
million.)
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Link the product to familiar and positive
situations (4.2.1)
Four lab experiments (in three papers) suggest that
subtle product placements are more effective
than prominent placements (and, of course, they
are cheaper).
Source: see evidence at PA, p. 101
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Link the product or brand to positive
situations (4.2.1)
Product: Yellow Pages (fly fishing – 0:51)
Brand: Volkswagen Fun Theory (fast lane – 1:42)
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Should a product placement be featured -- or in
the background?
111 subjects watching a Seinfeld TV show were less aware of
objects in the background than of those featured
(lab experiment).
The subjects were then asked to be involved in “a different
experiment” in which they were to suggest items for a
friend moving to a new apartment. Predict the percentage
of brand choices from products displayed in the show:
_____%
featured in story
6
9
_____%
background display
Not much evidence, but remember that background is
cheaper.
(See Persuasive Advertising, p.101 for discussion)
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Ideas for Applications of Principles
To learn the principles, use the checklist for creating ads
to apply the emotion and mere exposure principles.
If you are not currently working for an organization, pick
something to advertise, perhaps a charity.
If you are in a class, design an ad for yourself as the owner
of small advertising agency (commonly called a “house
ad”).
Apply the principles from this session to the advertising
campaign for global warming in your learning diary.
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Techniques
In your diary, describe the techniques that you were
able to use for your global warming campaign and rate
your success (e.g., creativity, objective setting)
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Follow-up: Complete prior to next session
1. ___ Go through this lecture on your own (It is on
the Educational Materials page)
2.___Study Persuasive Advertising pages 287-292 and
record your reading time in your learning diary. Highlight
techniques and principles that you want to apply in
yellow.
3.___ Complete the End of Chapter Questions for
“Emotions” and check your answers against PA.
4. ___ Complete the End of Chapter Questions for
“Mere Exposure” and check your answers against
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PA.
Advice on learning
One study found that fewer than 10% of students were
successful in applying new knowledge.
•This went to 20% if they actively applied what they
were taught during a class session.
•It went to 90% when they worked with a learning
partner and coached each other.
Select techniques to apply
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