Comparative Advertising: The Influence of Attitude-toward-the-Ad on Brand Evaluation

Abstract Although it has been documented that attitudes toward ads (AAd) often have a direct influence on brand attitudes, no such investigation has been undertaken in the context of comparative advertising, where multiple brands are referenced and displayed. In such situations, it is unclear whether the competitive (referred-to) brand may also be affected by AAd. Results of an empirical study indicate that the transfer of affect from ads to brands occurs almost exclusively for the sponsoring brand. AAd has no measurable effect on attitudes toward the competitive brand.