Comparative and Noncomparative Advertising: Attitudinal Effects under Cognitive and Affective Involvement Conditions

TLDR

The study compares the effectiveness of comparative versus noncomparative advertising for products differing in cognitive and affective involvement. Brand comparisons promote attribute‑based processing that may otherwise be overridden by competing affective involvement. Comparative ads boost brand attitudes for products that elicit both cognitive and affective motivations, positively influence brand switchers, and deter loyal consumers of competing brands, while noncomparative attribute‑based ads elicit more favorable attitudes when affective involvement is high than when it is low.

Abstract

Abstract Abstract This study compares effectiveness of comparative and noncomparative advertising for products characterized by different levels of cognitive and affective involvement. Comparative advertisements induce more positive brand attitudes for products which elicit cognitive and affective motivations simultaneously. This happens because brand comparisons facilitate an attribute-based processing style which might otherwise succumb to the competing affective involvement. Noncomparative attribute-based ads yield more favorable attitudes toward the ad when affective involvement is high than when it is low. Comparative ads are also shown to positively influence brand switchers and have a negative impact on consumers loyal to competing brands.