Peter Neijens

‘Highly recommended!’ The content characteristics and perceived usefulness of online consumer reviews

The aim of the present study was to gain a better understanding of the content characteristics that make online consumer reviews a useful source of consumer information. To this end, we content analyzed reviews of experience and search products posted on Amazon.com (N = 400). The insights derived from this content analysis were linked with the proportion of ‘useful’ votes that reviews received from fellow consumers. The results show that content characteristics are paramount to understanding the perceived usefulness of reviews. Specifically, argumentation (density and diversity) served as a significant predictor of perceived usefulness, as did review valence although this latter effect was contingent on the type of product (search or experience) being evaluated in reviews. The presence of expertise claims appeared to be weakly related to the perceived usefulness of reviews. The broader theoretical, methodological and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

The effects of magazine-induced psychological responses and thematic congruence on memory and attitude toward the ad in a real-life setting

Abstract The effects of context-induced psychological responses have primarily been studied in experimental television settings. Contrary to previous research, this study examines the effects of context-induced psychological responses on the processing of magazine advertisements. Furthermore, a real-life survey design was used instead of an experimental design. Test ads were placed in the regular circulation of three magazine titles, and a representative sample of subscribers (n=263) was interviewed face-to-face. In addition to psychological responses, the influence of thematic congruence between magazines and advertisements was studied. Results show that magazine-induced liking and positive feelings had a positive influence on attitude toward the ad. Furthermore, thematically congruent advertisements were better remembered than incongruent advertisements.

A New Branch of Advertising: Reviewing Factors That Influence Reactions to Product Placement

ABSTRACT This literature review presents a quantitative synthesis of 57 studies on product placement and shows which factors are most effective. It shows that placement characteristics, such as placement commerciality, modality, and prominence, have a strong impact on audience reactions. Audience characteristics, such as attitudes and beliefs about brand placement, advertising, and media, also shape audience reactions to brand placement. Advertising and psychological theories provide valuable explanations for the majority of the effects. However, the authors call for development of theories on capacity constraints and implicit processing as these can explain effects that are specific to brand placement.

Readers' Reactions to Mixtures of Advertising and Editorial Content in Magazines

Abstract This article focuses on reactions toward two mixtures of advertising and editorial content in magazines, namely theme features and advertorials. A survey among subscribers (n=316) to five different magazines showed that the most editorial mixture generated the most attention, appreciation, and acceptance. Furthermore, audience reactions toward mixtures were influenced by the perceived authority and informational value of the magazines. The findings did not substantiate concerns that have been expressed in the literature about the misleading character of these subtle forms of advertising. Intertwining of advertising and editorial content appears to be a promising format for advertisers and publishers.

Segmentation based on affinity for advertising

ABSTRACT Investigates the utility of the concept of the Affinity for Advertising by asking three questions: What is Affinity for Advertising? To what extent do people differ in their Affinity for Advertising in different Media? Do people who differ in their Affinity for Advertising also differ in their behavioral reactions towards advertising. A positive answer to the final question is essential if the concept is to be useful for media planners. Based on a nationwide survey in the Netherlands, the article concludes that Affinity for Advertising is a promising concept for segmenting the audience within the context of media planning.

Opening the black box: Understanding cross-media effects

Despite their popularity, the reasons why cross-media campaigns are more successful than single medium campaigns are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study is (a) to investigate which psychological processes are present when people are exposed to cross-media campaigns, and (b) to examine to what extent these processes contribute to campaign results. Three psychological processes are investigated to gain insight into the effectiveness of cross-media campaigns: forward encoding (i.e., the ad in the first medium primes interest in the ad in the second medium); image transfer (i.e., mentally replaying the ad previously viewed during exposure to the ad in the second medium); and multiple source perception (i.e., believing the brand is good and popular because of the amount of advertising). To identify the role of these processes, 219 participants were exposed to one of four media conditions (two cross-media conditions and two repeated media conditions). The results showed that two processes were present when participants were exposed to the cross-media combinations: forward encoding and multiple source perception. We also found support for the hypothesis that these two processes contributed to campaign results. However, the third process, image transfer, was present in all conditions and did not add to the explanation of cross-media effects.

How media factors affect audience responses to brand placement

This study investigates the influence of media factors on brand placement effects in a real-life setting. Although many studies on brand placement have been conducted, insights into context effects on brand placement reactions are scarce. The impact of objective and subjective media context factors is studied for brands placed in four different television shows. Drawing on a survey of 1195 viewers, we found that genre, programme attitude and the programme’s informational value had positive effects on brand placement reactions. These results support theories on ‘spillover effects’ and media gratifications. The effect of genre on viewers’ behaviour was partially mediated by the programme’s perceived informational value. This study shows the importance of context factors in brand placement effects.

Today's practice of brand placement and the industry behind it

This article presents a content analysis of brand placement on Dutch television, followed by 24 interviews with the parties involved. By combining a content analysis and a practitioners’ perspective, this article offers unique insights into the increasingly popular phenomenon of integrating advertising into television content. Analysis of one week’s television programming showed that programmes with brand placement are growing into a significant part of Dutch television. A fifth of these sponsored programmes can be classified as brand-integrated programmes in which brands are an intrinsic part of the programme. The practitioner interviews showed that these brand-integrated programmes were considered as the future of advertising. Moreover, the interviews gave insights into the mutual relationships between the different parties, showing that practitioners use the law restrictions to estimate the acceptance levels of the audience with respect to television sponsoring.

The Effects of Program Responses on the Processing of Commercials Placed at Various Positions in the Program and the Block

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to test if valence and intensity dimensions of responses to general programming affect commercial processing in everyday life. Results from analyses on data from a large telephone survey showed that indicators of program-induced valence and intensity significantly affected several advertising processing measures. Intensity had a positive impact on measures of attention and recall, while valence was positively related to attitude toward the advertisement. Next, we investigated the moderating influences of variations in commercial placement on these relations. We found that effects of intensity and valence on commercial processing were stronger for interrupting blocks than shoulder blocks. However, the position of the commercial within the block did not have an impact on these carryover effects.

Friend me: which factors influence top global brands participation in social network sites

Purpose – This study focuses on how brands participate in social network sites (SNSs) and investigates both the different strategies they adopt and the factors that influence these strategies.Design/methodology/approach – The activities of top brands in SNSs were investigated through a content analysis of brand web sites in three countries, measuring two primary dimensions: presence in SNSs and level of engagement which the brand hoped to establish with stakeholders. The study then built logistic regression models to understand which factors drive brands to adopt and use SNSs, using insights from previous studies related to internet innovation adoption cycles.Findings – The study confirmed that SNS adoption follows a general path of Internet innovation adoption by brands. Industry markets exert influence, with technology and consumer intensive brands being more likely than all other industry segments to be present in SNSs and to participate at higher engagement levels, while brands targeting younger audie...