Are So-called Successful Advertising Campaigns Really Successful?

This paper is one of 18 selected by the Editorial Review Board of The Journal of Advertising Research to be a 'classic' - an article that has withstood the test of time.

Are So-called Successful Advertising Campaigns Really Successful?1

Steuart Henderson BrittNorthwestern University

To whatextent do advertising agencies know whether their advertising campaigns are successful? Even more to the point, to what extent do agencies really set specific objectives for their campaigns? And in attempting to judge the success of a campaign, are the 'proofs of success' relevant to the objectives stated?

For the first time, public statements by advertising agencies of campaign objectives and 'proofs of success' of various campaigns have been set forth publicly in a form that permits systematic investigation of this question. The United States...

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