Eye tracking study of attention to print advertisements: Effects of typeface figuration

Abstract

The use of rhetorical figures has become a widely–accepted method for capturing attention and positively increasing cognitive effort in print advertisements. So far research studies mostly analyzed the effect of rhetorical figures in the written as well as pictorial elements of an ad. However, there have been few studies addressing the effect of rhetorical figuration in the specific area of typeface design. This study analyzes the effects of typeface figuration (i.e., regular vs. irregular stylization of the form) on attention and attitude of the viewers. The study also looks at how the effect of typeface figuration changes in relation to the type of a product (hedonistic vs. utilitarian) being advertised. Through the use of a 2 × 2 experimental design, the study measures data using a combination of eye tracking (an objective method) and attitude scaling (a subjective method). 65 volunteers participated in the study. The eye tracking results show that using rhetorical figures in typeface mainly affects attention of the viewers. We have also determined that they influence their attitude. Additionally, the study shows that a typeface and a type of products are correlated; it shows that the hedonistic type of products can benefit more from the figuration. In conclusion, our study builds on and expands the current understanding of the use of rhetorical figures by proving that there is a correlation between the use of rhetorical figures in typeface and viewers' attention, depending on the type of product being advertised.

Advertising to reduce meat consumption: positive framing versus negative framing effects on attention

“…However, in terms of individual components of an advertisement (AOIs), negatively and positively framed advertisements produce different attention typologies. This supports findings by Puškarević et al (2016), which suggests that each key element of an advertisement has a distinct effect on viewers’ response. There was greater attention towards the image in the advertisement in both the positive and negatively framed advertisements compared to the other AOIs, showing that the image is an important factor to consider when attempting to attract and retain consumer attention to anti-consumption advertisements (Pieters and Wedel, 2004; Sciulli et al , 2012; Bebko et al , 2014; Alonso Dos Santos et al , 2017).…”

“…According to Puškarević et al (2016), each key element of an advertisement has a distinct effect on viewers’ response, and thus has unique superiority effects on attention to advertisements (Pieters and Wedel, 2004). For example, the image may be superior in capturing attention, independent of its size (Pieters and Wedel, 2004; Alonso Dos Santos et al , 2017).…”

Simple or complex? Consumer response to display signs

“…The degree of complexity varied depending on the stimuli being observed. Complexity had an impact on purchase intent in these four studies: Anderson and Jolson (1980); Geissler et al (2006); Puškarević et al (2016); and Putrevu et al (2004).…”

“…Sometimes consumers misattribute the fluency to the stimulus and associate more fluent stimuli with greater attractiveness (Schwarz). In Puškarević et al (2016), a study similar to Wedel and Pieters (2008), consumer attitude towards advertisements with different typeface figurations were evaluated on a five-point Likert scale using three variables: likeable, favorable, and interesting. Findings show that consumers pay attention to and find advertisements most attractive when the short verbal cues are depicted through rhetorical figuration, indicative of the observation that simple advertisements are most attractive (Puškarević et al 2016).…”

“…In Puškarević et al (2016), a study similar to Wedel and Pieters (2008), consumer attitude towards advertisements with different typeface figurations were evaluated on a five-point Likert scale using three variables: likeable, favorable, and interesting. Findings show that consumers pay attention to and find advertisements most attractive when the short verbal cues are depicted through rhetorical figuration, indicative of the observation that simple advertisements are most attractive (Puškarević et al 2016). In this study, we use signage as an advertising format and hypothesize that: H2: Consumers will rate moderately complex signs as more attractive compared to simple or high-complexity signs; H3a: Sign complexity is a predictor of Likeliness to Buy (LTB) a product from a display containing that sign; H3b: More attractive signs will evoke a higher LTB; H3c: Greater visual attention to the number of elements in the display (FC) will evoke a greater LTB; H3d: More visual attention through total time processing (FD) will indicate a greater LTB.…”