Recall, Recognition, and the Measurement of Memory for Print Advertisements

The recall and recognition of people for 95 print ads were examined with an aim toward investigating memory structure and decay processes. It was found that recall and recognition do not, by themselves, measure a single underlying memory state. Rather, memory is multidimensional, and recall and recognition capture only a portion of memory, while at the same time reflecting other mental states. When interest in the ads was held constant, however, recall and recognition did measure memory as a unidimensional construct. Further, an examination of memory over three points in time showed considerable stability. The findings are interpreted from the perspective of recent research in cognitive psychology as well as current thinking in consumer behavior and advertising research. Managerial implications are considered as well.