Richard J. Lutz

The Role of Attitude toward the Ad as a Mediator of Advertising Effectiveness: A Test of Competing Explanations

Attitude toward the ad (Aad) has been postulated to be a causal mediating variable in the process through which advertising influences brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Previous conceptual a...

An Empirical Examination of the Structural Antecedents of Attitude toward the Ad in an Advertising Pretesting Context

Recent research has identified attitude toward the ad (AAd) as an important construct mediating the effects of advertising on brand attitude and purchase intention. To date, however, little attenti...

Multiattribute Measurement Models and Multiattribute Attitude Theory: A Test of Construct Validity

A distinction is drawn between the multiattribute attitude model as a measurement device and as a theory of attitude formation and change. Using an analysis of variance paradigm to investigate the underlying multiplicative and summative assumptions, Fishbeins multiattribute theory is found to demonstrate reasonably high construct validity. Individual differences in attribute combination rules are identified, and the issue of cognitive averaging vs. cognitive summation is raised.

Passing the Torch: Intergenerational Influences as a Source of Brand Equity

In todays competitive battleground, the concept of brand equity has proved to be an important source of strategic insights for marketers. However, one potentially valuable source of brand equity—the operation of intergenerational influences—has generally been overlooked in the marketing literature. This article reports the findings of two studies that show intergenerational impacts on brand equity to be persistent and powerful across an array of consumer packaged goods. However, as a strategic challenge, these effects seem to apply strongly for some brands but not for others—they are selective. In Study 1, the authors use parallel surveys of mother–daughter dyads to isolate and quantify intergenerational impacts, and the surveys reveal a differential range of effects at both the product category and the brand level. In Study 2, the authors use interpretivist methods to delve more deeply into these effects—the forms they take, the way they have developed, and factors that sustain or disrupt them. On the basis of these findings, the authors identify implications for managers and future research needs. Overall, intergenerational influences are a real marketplace phenomenon and a factor that merits much closer attention from marketing strategists who are interested in brand equity issues.

Children, Advertising, and Product Experiences: A Multimethod Inquiry

Although the prepurchase effects of advertising on children are well documented, little is known about advertisings impact in conjunction with childrens product usage experiences. Two studies, one using experimentation and the other using depth interviews, were undertaken to examine this issue. In addition to informational effects, special emphasis was placed on the role affective constructs play in shaping childrens impressions. Experimental results indicated that both product trial and advertising have influences, but also that the interplay of these influences differs between older children (10-11-year-olds) and younger children (seven-eight-year-olds). Depth interviews offered further insights into these age differences such that our overall understanding of how older and younger children relate to advertisements and product consumption has been advanced. Copyright 2000 by the University of Chicago.

Defining and Measuring Recreational Shopper Identity

The concept of recreational shopper identity, a dimension of the consumer—s self-concept, is contrasted with simple shopping enjoyment, which has characterized most past research on recreational shopping. Two survey studies investigate recreational shopper identity in a clothing shopping context. In Study 1, the Recreational Shopper Identity (RSI) Scale is validated with a sample of 561 adult consumers, demonstrating that recreational shopping is experienced as a true leisure activity. In Study 2, involving 354 adult consumers, the RSI Scale is used to identify three groups of shoppers who differ in the degree to which they incorporate recreational shopping into their self-concepts. Recreational shopping enthusiasts are found to engage more extensively in a range of retail shopping behaviors, to spend more money shopping (i.e., they are not just browsers), and are more “multi-channel” than other shoppers, reporting higher levels of Internet, catalog, and TV home shopping as well as traditional “brick-and-mortar” shopping.

THE FUNCTION OF FORMAT: Consumer Responses to Six On-line Advertising Formats

This study represents an initial empirical test of a new construct--attitude toward on-line advertising format (Aformat). An on-line survey was used to examine both antecedents and consequences of Aformat for each of six on-line ad formats (e.g., pop-ups, banners, skyscrapers). Regression analyses revealed Aformatto be significantly related to attitude toward the ad (Aad) for all formats. Furthermore, Aformat was significantly related to self-reported on-line ad behaviors such as clickthrough. Overall, the results strongly suggest that the nature of the on-line ad format is an important characteristic that influences on-line advertising response.

Marketing Scholarship 2.0

The system for the design, production, and dissemination of marketing scholarship aimed at contributing to marketing practice is under increasing strain due to pressures exerted by globalization, digitization, and environmentalism. Scholarly research in marketing adheres largely to a twentieth-century manufacturing model. Change is needed now. Marketing scholarship can benefit from embracing a twenty-first-century, collaborative approach to the conception, design, and dissemination of research. “Crowdsourcing” is becoming a frequently employed strategy in industry. Marketing academe should adopt some of the same techniques and technologies to make stronger research contributions that will benefit marketing practice. In particular, more collaboration is needed, both among academic researchers and between academe and industry, to be sure important problems are being investigated using sound theories and methods. An open, collaborative model will allow the field to evolve from Marketing Scholarship 1.0 to Marketing Scholarship 2.0.

Wisdom: Exploring the Pinnacle of Human Virtues as a Central Link from Micromarketing to Macromarketing

The macromarketing system is largely the function of many micromarketing decisions made each day. But this connection has not been probed thoroughly in the macromarketing literature, and there is a need for conceptual frameworks that can successfully link the challenges of effective micromarketing with the laudable goals of the macromarketing field, which focuses on the interdependencies between marketing and society. To this end, we explore wisdom, the zenith of human virtues, through pertinent literature and in-depth interviews with executives nominated for their wise decision making. We discovered that wisdom in marketing is characterized by the recognition and management of five central paradoxes (e.g., the need for expertise versus the need to admit knowledge limitations and the need to enact authority and accountability versus the need for ego control). We discuss the implications of these findings for the theory, practice, and teaching of macromarketing and for basic wisdom theory.The macromarketing system is largely the function of many micromarketing decisions made each day. But this connection has not been probed thoroughly in the macromarketing literature, and there is a need for conceptual frameworks that can successfully link the challenges of effective micromarketing with the laudable goals of the macromarketing field, which focuses on the interdependencies between marketing and society. To this end, we explore wisdom, the zenith of human virtues, through pertinent literature and in-depth interviews with executives nominated for their wise decision making. We discovered that wisdom in marketing is characterized by the recognition and management of five central paradoxes (e.g., the need for expertise versus the need to admit knowledge limitations and the need to enact authority and accountability versus the need for ego control). We discuss the implications of these findings for the theory, practice, and teaching of macromarketing and for basic wisdom theory.

Measurement and Diagnosis of Student Attitudes toward a Career in Advertising

Abstract Recent developments in attitude research include a general class of “expectancy-value” models which allow both prediction and diagnosis of attitude. The present research undertakes a validation study of one form of the ExV model, and presents an illustrative diagnosis of student attitudes toward a career in advertising. The model is found to exhibit a satisfactory degree of validity and offers promise for the formulation of communication strategies, whether in the recruiting of new employees or in the marketing of goods and services.