While creativity in advertising is a growing area of marketing research, relatively little is known about how the effects of creativity are produced. Accordingly, this research explores the basic persuasive (i.e., desire to postpone closure) and emotional (i.e., positive affect) mechanisms through which creative ads exert their influence on consumer viewing and purchase intentions. In addition, the model hypothesizes that the level of involvement with the ad moderates the desire to postpone closure effects but not the emotional impact. An overall model of the impact of ad creativity is developed and tested using structural equations analysis. Results from three experiments show the model receives good support.

A major goal of this study is to develop and test a structural model of trial processing to help marketers and researchers better understand the dynamics of this important stage in the purchase process. No such model exists, even though prior research has demonstrated that product trial can be an important determinant of brand beliefs and attitudes. Accordingly, the authors develop a general model of how consumers process and respond to trial experiences. This trial model then is integrated with a well-known advertising model to trace how (1) consumers react when both types of information are available and (2) advertising achieves its influence on trial perceptions. The authors estimate these models for two products that vary significantly in the diagnosticity of the trial experience and discuss implications for marketing research and practice.

This article reviews the development of advertising response theories including the hierarchy of effects and low involvement learning models. By combining concepts from several areas, a new “integrated information response model” is proposed that appears to be in close accord with existing evidence.

Consumer perceptions of advertising creativity are investigated in a series of studies beginning with scale development and ending with comprehensive model testing. Results demonstrate that perceptions of ad creativity are determined by the interaction between divergence and relevance, and that overall creativity mediates their effects on consumer processing and response.