The Effectiveness of Comparative Versus Non-Comparative Advertising: Do “Strictly” Comparative Ads Hurt Credibility of Non-Professional Service Brands?
Fred Beard
University of Oklahoma
MANAGEMENT SLANT
- The potential for negative outcomes is a very real possibility when prominent non-professional service brands identify one other by name in their campaigns.
- Services advertisers who use strictly comparative advertising are justified in doing so if their target audiences are mainly younger consumers and if claims of believability are not crucial for advertising effectiveness.
- If message or claim believability is critical, non-comparative advertising likely will be more effective than comparative advertising, regardless of target audience age....