A laboratory study of the effect of verbal rhetoric versus repetition when consumers are not directed to process advertising

Edward F. McQuarrie and David Glen Mick

Rhetorical figures appear frequently in the headlines of magazine ads. This paper examines the effect of repetition on ads containing two types of rhetorical figures: easy-to-understand rhymes and challenging puns.

A laboratory study of the effect of verbal rhetoric versus repetition when consumers are not directed to process advertising

Edward F. McQuarrieSanta Clara University

David Glen MickUniversity of Virginia

INTRODUCTION

Contemporary consumers are deluged by advertising. Their resulting lack of interest and defence mechanisms have challenged advertisers to develop strategies that can rise above the commotion and motivate consumers to process ads. Among these strategies – based on insights that trace back to antiquity (Todorov 1982) – is the use of figures of speech, also known as rhetorical figures (e.g. rhyme, hyperbole, puns, metaphor).

Investigation into the nature,...

WARC subscribers can sign in to keep reading

Not a subscriber?

Schedule your live demo with our team today

WARC helps you to plan, create and deliver more effective marketing

  • Prove your case and back-up your idea

  • Get expert guidance on strategic challenges

  • Tackle current and emerging marketing themes

We’re long-term subscribers to WARC and it’s a tool we use extensively. We use it to source case studies and best practice for the purposes of internal training, as well as for putting persuasive cases to clients. In compiling a recent case for long-term, sustained investment in brand, we were able to support key marketing principles with numerous case studies sourced from WARC. It helped bring what could have been a relatively dry deck to life with recognisable brand successes from across a broad number of categories. It’s incredibly efficient to have such a wealth of insight in one place.

Insights Team
Bray Leino

You’re in good company

We work with 80% of Forbes' most valuable brands* and 80% of the world's top top-of-the-class agencies.

* Top 10 brands