Advertising: strong force or weak force? Two views an ocean apart

Prof John Philip Jones

This article reviews the conventional view of advertising - the Strong Theory - which is all but universally believed in the United States and which sees advertising as a dynamic force operating as an engine for brand innovation and other types of change in the market-place.

Advertising: Strong force or weak force? Two views an ocean apart

John Philip Jones

Syracuse University, New York, USA

 

This paper, originally published in 1990, reviews the conventional view of advertising - the Strong Theory -which is all but universally believed in the United States and which sees advertising as a dynamic force operating as an engine for brand innovation and other types of change in the market-place. In contrast, there is the theory developed over the years with increasing persuasiveness by Andrew Ehrenberg of the London Business School, that sees advertising as a weak force, one...

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