Competitive Clutter in Network Television Advertising: Current Levels and Advertiser Responses

Recent findings indicate that competitive messages can reduce the memorability of information from television ads.

Competitive Clutter in Network Television Advertising: Current Levels and Advertiser Responses

Robert J Kent

Consumers often encounter ads for directly competing brands within television programs. For example, viewers might encounter ads for three pain relievers or four similar import autos during an hour of network TV. Research findings suggest that this competitive clutter makes it difficult for viewers to remember which brands were advertised and what the ads communicated about each brand (cf, Keller, 1987, 1991; Kent and Allen, 1993, 1994).

Advertisers are increasingly concerned that competitive clutter harms the effectiveness of television ads (Lipman, 1992; Mandese, 1991)....

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