Shelly Rodgers

THE INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING MODEL: HOW USERS PERCEIVE AND PROCESS ONLINE ADS

Abstract The authors provide an integrative processing model of Internet advertising, which incorporates the functional and structural schools of thought. The model begins with the functional perspective, which attempts to identify reasons for Internet use. Since most individuals enter cyberspace with some goal, or agenda, in mind, the authors argue that a model of online processing should begin with consideration of Internet functions. These functions, according to the authors, operate conjointly with the user’s mode--ranging from highly goal-directed to playful--to influence the types of ads web users will attend to and process. A number of mediating variables, such as skill level, are offered as reasons to switch motives. These variables are conceptualized as having either a deleterious effect, as in the case of low skill and high anxiety, or beneficial effect, as in the case of high skill and low anxiety, on ad processing. Last, the authors incorporate a structural perspective, which seeks to identify and classify Internet ads. The authors offer a broad scheme in which to classify most Internet ads, as well as a number of common features unique to these ads. The authors conclude by offering a number of hypotheses suggested by the model.

Gender and E-Commerce: An Exploratory Study

The authors consider the role of gender as it relates to e-commerce and offer a conceptual framework that attempts to explain why women are less satisfied than men with the online shopping experience. Perceived emotional benefits are discussed as a primary reason women lack support for e-commerce activity. Additional concepts in our model include trust (i.e., skepticism) and practicality (i.e., convenience). Our survey findings revealed that these three concepts—emotion, trust, and convenience—predicted womens dissatisfaction (and mens satisfaction) with online shopping, as well as men and womens actual shopping behavior. The authors offer ideas to help e-marketers form stronger emotional bonds with female shoppers.

Internet Community Group Participation:Psychosocial Benefits for Women with Breast Cancer

This study examines the psychosocial benefits of Internet community group participation for women with breast cancer. A longitudinal content analysis of more than 33,200 postings from an online breast cancer bulletin board, and thematic analysis of the “life stories” of 100 women randomly selected from the bulletin board, was conducted. Psychosocial benefits included: receiving/giving information; receiving/giving social support; affect toward the discussion board, optimism toward breast cancer, increased skill or ability to cope with the disease, improved mood, decreased psychological distress, and strategies to manage stress. Over time, a positive shift was shown in womens affect toward the breast cancer and online community, and a positive correlation was found between amount of participation and psychosocial well-being.

Relationships Between Blogs as EWOM and Interactivity, Perceived Interactivity, and Parasocial Interaction

Abstract The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of a political candidate’s blog-a form of eWOM (electronic Word-of-Mouth)-on attitudes toward the website, attitudes toward the political candidate, and intentions to vote. The results showed that interactivity in the form of a blog significantly influenced attitude toward the website, but not attitudes toward the candidate or voting intention. However, perceived interactivity influenced all three dependent variables, but did not interact with interactivity, suggesting that these are two separate constructs. The effects were mediated by parasocial interaction.

THE EFFECTS OF SPONSOR RELEVANCE ON CONSUMER REACTIONS TO INTERNET SPONSORSHIPS

This study reports the results of two experiments that were conducted to examine the effects of Internet sponsorships and the role of sponsor relevance in these effects. Experiment 1 used a group of college students and Experiment 2 replicated the first experiment using a group of nonstudent adults. Both experiments examined sponsorship linkage as a means of structuring Internet sponsorships that impacts sponsor recall, attitude toward the sponsor, and purchase intentions. Findings revealed that relevant Internet sponsors were more persuasive than irrelevant Internet sponsors for the three dependent variables. Two context variables, Web site credibility and intent to return to the site, moderated the linkage factor on sponsor evaluations in that higher levels of the context variables translated to more positive evaluations for relevant sponsors.

Effects of Valence and Extremity of eWOM on Attitude toward the Brand and Website

Abstract Two studies were conducted to examine the influence of valence and extremity of consumer product reviews on attitude toward the brand and attitude toward the website. Each experiment was a one factor (valence/extremity: extremely negative, moderately negative, extremely positive) between-subjects design with a control group. Results in both studies showed that although extremely positive reviews increased attitude toward the brand, even a moderate amount of negativity negated this effect. Moreover, extremely negative reviews had a stronger influence on attitude toward the brand than either moderately negative reviews or extremely positive product reviews, thus supporting both negativity and extremity effect. Findings also show that varying degrees of brand review valence and extremity influenced attitude toward the website depending on website type (i.e., retailer vs. brand).

Health Organizations’ Use of Facebook for Health Advertising and Promotion

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine how health organizations use interactive features and social media channels on Facebook to manage their brand for advertising purposes. A content analysis of 1,760 wall comments on health organizations’ Facebook pages reveals that nonprofit health organizations are more active in posting to Facebook than any other health organization examined. However, nonprofit health organizations do not take full advantage of interactive features or other social media channels. Government agencies and schools/universities exhibit the broadest use of interactive features; health care institutions appear more devoted to integrating social media channels with Facebook than the other types of organizations. Overall, health organizations strategically use branding and advertising techniques to manage their image and promote their brands. Still, there is room for improvement to take better advantage of various social media tools for consumer-generated advertising and viral marketing.

Cancer Coverage in General-Audience and Black Newspapers

This article presents findings from the first study of cancer news coverage in a national sample of Black and general-audience newspapers. We compared 2,439 health news stories from 23 weekly Black newspapers to 2,767 health news stories from a constructed week sample of 12 daily general-audience newspapers, both collected between April 1, 2004, and March 31, 2005. Analyses examined differences in the amount and nature of cancer coverage, specifically cancer sites, disparities, localization, and personally mobilizing health information for readers. Cancer was the main topic in a higher proportion of health stories in Black newspapers than in general-audience newspapers (13.6% vs. 9.6%; p = .001). Among cancer stories, those in Black newspapers had more localization (p = .004), disparity information (p = .001), and personal mobilization information (p = .001) than those in general-audience newspapers. In neither type of newspaper did the distribution of stories by cancer site accurately reflect the impact of different cancers on population mortality.

An Improved Way To Characterize Internet Users

ABSTRACT This article describes the development of a measure to assess four primary motives for using the internet-researching, communicating, surfing, and shopping. The 12-item Web Motivation Inventory (WMI) was initially developed using a sample of 408 college students. The WMI factor structure was then replicated using 112 nonstudent adults. The predictive validity of the scale was also verified, in that subscale scores predicted banner ad effectiveness across both student and nonstudent samples. Potential uses for the scale are discussed.

The web motivation inventory: replication, extension and application to internet advertising

The Web Motivation Inventory (WMI) is used in internet advertising research, and is frequently used and cited in advertising, marketing and communication literature. Investigations of the robustness of the WMI have been somewhat limited. Additionally, new uses of the internet are not accounted for by the WMI since its publication in 2002. This paper replicates and extends the original WMI using participants in the US, UK and Australia and includes internet motives not previously examined. The results show that the four-factor WMI remained reliable and valid for all three samples. Findings suggest the extended WMI may be broken into 12 sub-scales that represent the original fourfactor measure.