Denis Lacoste

Are Services Advertised Differently? An Empirical Examination

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to study the relevance of a specific approach to services advertising by testing the absolute and relative impact of the product/service variable on advertising strategy.Design/methodology/approach – A content study of 4,233 press advertisements, taken from generalist magazines, was conducted using an original analytical framework based on competitive advantage. This framework was used to measure the impact on the advertising strategy of the following variables: type of offer, type of market and industry.Findings – The research indicates that three variables significantly influence advertising strategy: type of offer, type of market, and industry. However, the type of industry is the most influential variable. The study shows that the product/service contrast alone cannot adequately explain the choice of advertising strategy.Research implications/limitations – The conclusions indicate that the product‐service variable should not be used in isolation, but rather in ...

Services advertising: showcase the customer!

Abstract The research presented in this article focuses on the effectiveness of advertising strategies used in services communication. For this purpose, a quantitative study of 50 magazine advertisements for services in tourism and banking/insurance was conducted with a sample of 249 respondents. This research shows that, for both sectors, certain advertising strategies are more effective than others, and that the most effective advertising strategy is one that showcases the service customer. This strategy is more effective than those highlighting competitive advantage, contact staff, a physical representation of the service or the company’s brand image.