How to make effective ads

Washington, Aug 25 (ANI): The effectiveness of an advertisement depends upon whether the consumers are interested in abstract or concrete features of the product being promoted, say researchers.

They say that one of the TiVo ads, for example, describes it as offering freedom, while the other explains it could replay sports events.

The team suggest that key to an effective message is finding the fit between the consumers' goals and the level of abstraction.

"Informing people that TiVo promotes freedom of expression is an abstract, high-level benefit of the brand, whereas the replay and slow motion features represent concrete, low-level benefits," wrote the authors.

"Our research indicates that whether consumers are more persuaded by abstract or concrete benefit information depends on their goals," they added.

For example, the researchers found that when consumers aimed to fulfil aspirations and satisfy achievement goals, more abstract messages (like highlighting the TiVo's freedom aspects) stimulated favourable brand evaluations.

On the other hand, consumers who sought to fulfil their responsibilities and satisfy their security goals, concrete messages (such as the replay and slow-motion features of TiVo) were more persuasive.

People experience a heightened sense of engagement when they process information that fits with their goals, the authors explain.

And when the level of abstraction fits the goal, people understand messages better, and are more easily persuaded.

The study has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research. (ANI)