Author Meets Critics: Comparative Advertising: History, Theory, and Practice

Beard, Fred; Chambers, Jason P.; Coleman, Catherine; Howald, Rachel; Timke, Edward

doi:10.1353/asr.2019.0012

Cited by 4 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…According to Beard (2018), comparative advertising is appropriate in this specific case: SBs vs NBs. It is the correct approach when the competition is intensifying in static or slow-growth markets characterized by two or more “me-too” competitors and that a corresponding need for brand differentiation arises.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impacts of comparative ads used by retailers to compare their store brands with national brands

Lacœuilhe¹,

Louis

Lombart

et al. 2020

IJRDM

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PurposeThe research aim is to investigate the impacts of comparative ads used by retailers to compare the prices of their store brand (SB) products with those of equivalent national brand (NB) products. More specifically, this research examines if consumers perceive retailers as legitimate when they use comparative ads to compare the prices of their SB products to those of equivalent NB products, and how effective are these comparative ads in terms of actual purchases. This research also explores for which SB type (economy, standard or premium) and consumers are comparative ads most effective.Design/methodology/approachThis research investigates consumers' reactions to comparative ads used by retailers to compare the prices of their SB products with those of similar NB products through an experiment within a store laboratory. A between-subject design has been used. The participants of the first/second/third group (n1 = 93/n2 = 92/n3 = 91) were exposed to ads comparing the prices of retailer's economy/standard/premium SB food products with their equivalent NB food products, in the same product category. The participants of each group carried out a shopping trip in the store laboratory.FindingsConsumers consider retailers legitimate when they use comparative ads. This favourable evaluation improves their attitude towards these ads. However, the impact of retailers' legitimacy of (1) means, (2) objectives and (3) historical legitimacy on consumers' attitude towards comparative ads depends on the SB type (economy, standard and premium). By contrast, comparative ads are effective in terms of consumers' attitude towards these ads and towards SBs, along with purchase intention and actual purchases of these brands, whatever the SB type. Lastly, this research highlights that comparative ads for SBs are mainly directed at consumers with high levels of price consciousness and resistance to NBs.Research limitations/implicationsThis research only tested the impact of direct comparative advertising and an extrinsic attribute (price). The research experiment was conducted on a convenience sample, which limits its external validity.Practical implicationsThis research encourages retailers to use comparative advertising for their SBs (economy, standard and premium) for several reasons. First, this study suggests that comparative advertising is an effective tool for retailers to shape or improve consumers' attitude towards SBs, via their attitude towards comparative ads. Second, this research proposes that comparative advertising contrasting the prices of SB products with those of NB products could increase retailers' in-store sales of their SBs. Lastly, this research underlines that comparative advertising is particularly effective for consumers with high levels of price consciousness and resistance to NBs.Originality/valueThis research supplements previous research in the field of SBs and comparative advertising. Previous research on comparative advertising has examined NBs exclusively (Dianoux et al., 2013; Beard, 2018). Comparisons between SBs and NBs are lacking. This research thus validates the use of this specific form of communication for SBs, given the paucity of studies of the effects of the use of mass media communication on SBs (Nenycz-Thiel and Romaniuk, 2014; Gendel-Guterman and Levy, 2017).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such ads could therefore develop in the coming years because SBs are major competitors of NBs. However, previous research on comparative advertising has examined NBs exclusively (Dianoux et al , 2013; Beard, 2018). Comparisons between SBs and NBs are thus lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impacts of comparative ads used by retailers to compare their store brands with national brands

Lacœuilhe¹,

Louis

Lombart

et al. 2020

IJRDM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Fascinating interactions between ad type and gender were found. The literature of comparative advertising overlooked this area of demographic effects and gender effects in particular (Beard, 2018). In the absence of studies, knowledge based on Chang (2007) suggested that women are more likely to detect manipulative intent and practitioners highlighted a potential greater empathy towards the attacked brand among females.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Manzur, et al (2012) reported a greater message believability for ICA relative to DCA in Chile, while Jeon and Beatty (2002) found a systematic positive consumer response to DCA over ICA in Korea and no difference in response for the USA. There is research supporting the relative effectiveness of DCA over ICA in the USA and the UK (Beard, 2018;Petrovici, et al, 2016).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indirect Comparative Advertising, which is a subtle comparison without naming specific brands but which may use a Brand X or "other brands" comparison, is much less researched (Williams & Page 2013). Most comparative advertising research has been conducted in the USA with more limited cross national comparisons, as comparative advertising was not allowed in most of Europe and many parts of the globe until the late 1990s (Beard 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Direct and Indirect Brand Comparisons, Message Framing and Gender Effects in Advertising

2019

JMDC

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With increased brand competition, companies use brand comparisons via comparative advertising. Using Regulatory Focus Theory predictions, this research examines the effects of direct and indirect comparative advertising, message framing, and gender for their individual and joint impact on consumer response to advertising for analgesic painkillers. Results show that the type of brand comparison (direct vs indirect), comparison framing (prevention vs promotion) and the consumer's gender have significant impacts on responses to messages, individually and jointly. Managerially, the results underscore the strategic importance of varying message strategy by audience and comparative advertising tactic used, among other implications for the UK sample.

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Comparar lealmente: la veracidad y demostrabilidad del mensaje publicitario en el derecho chileno

Gazmuri¹,

Díaz²

2022

derpri

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El presente artículo tiene por propósito responder a una pregunta relativa a la publicidad comparativa en la Ley 20.169 sobre competencia desleal chilena (en adelante LCD): ¿depende su licitud del hecho de que esta sea veraz y demostrable? Una lectura preliminar de la letra e) de su artículo 4.º podría inclinarnos a responderla afirmativamente. Sin embargo, un examen más detenido de la comparación publicitaria, a partir del método dogmático y del análisis empírico, muestra que, al menos en dos casos, no es así necesariamente.

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Author Meets Critics: Comparative Advertising: History, Theory, and Practice

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

The impacts of comparative ads used by retailers to compare their store brands with national brands

The impacts of comparative ads used by retailers to compare their store brands with national brands

Direct and Indirect Brand Comparisons, Message Framing and Gender Effects in Advertising

Comparar lealmente: la veracidad y demostrabilidad del mensaje publicitario en el derecho chileno

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