The value of mass media advertising can be demonstrated by quantifying what happens when it is removed: researchers at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute have demonstrated that the market shares of brands without advertising decline, on average, at a steady rate year over year. 

Why this research matters

The study, published in the Journal of Advertising Research, closely replicates the approach of previous studies but examines market share rather than volume sales as the measured outcome, making it more useful across categories and markets. 

The authors suggest that companies with portfolios of brands can plan the likely impact of not advertising, which...