Impacts of Website Context Relevance on Banner Advertisement Effectiveness

Abstract

This study examines how the Internet context (website) within which advertisements (banners) are embedded influences ad effectiveness. Respondents evaluated banners after they reviewed a website in which a contextually relevant banner and a contextually irrelevant banner were placed. Results suggest that (1) a contextually relevant banner induced more favorable evaluation and a greater purchase intention toward advertised products than a contextually irrelevant counterpart, and (2) neither a contextually relevant banner nor a contextually irrelevant banner was recalled with better accuracy than the other banner. These findings provide implications for future consumer research and website promotion.