The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes

Robert W. Meeds; Olan F. Farnall

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes

Robert W. Meeds, Olan F. Farnall

Published in International Journal of Business and Economics Research (Volume 7, Issue 5)

Received: 5 July 2018 Accepted: 20 September 2018 Published: 29 September 2018

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to empirically test how these dependent variables are influenced by features and benefits in advertising copy. Advertising copy testing research has produced conflicting results regarding the independence of recall, recognition and attitude constructs. Most copy-testing research, however, has focused on consumers’ responses to the ad as a whole. The study reported here focuses on sentence-level manipulations to determine how variations in sentence patterns influence consumer memory and attitudes for advertised claims. A within-subjects experiment using magazine ads as stimuli was conducted in which the presence or absence of pairs of consumer benefit and product feature sentences were manipulated. The dependent variables were phrase recognition, morpheme recall and attitude toward the ad. Results showed that benefit and feature sentences did not improve recognition memory for phrases. However, ads with benefits or features enhanced morphemic recall and attitudes compared to the control condition. In particular, for ads that contained integrated benefit sentences and feature sentences together, an interactive effect was observed. Readers of these copy blocks displayed more positive attitudes toward the ad and higher levels of morpheme recall than benefits-only or features-only ads. The results are consistent with predictions from construal level theory, which has shown that benefit-based appeals are more effective in high construal situations while benefit- and attribute-based appeals are equally effective in low construal situations.

Published in	International Journal of Business and Economics Research (Volume 7, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12
Page(s)	136-143
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Advertising, Copy Testing, Benefits, Features, Phrase Recognition, Morpheme Recall

References

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APA Style

Robert W. Meeds, Olan F. Farnall. (2018). The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes. International Journal of Business and Economics Research, 7(5), 136-143. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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ACS Style

Robert W. Meeds; Olan F. Farnall. The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes. Int. J. Bus. Econ. Res. 2018, 7(5), 136-143. doi: 10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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AMA Style

Robert W. Meeds, Olan F. Farnall. The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes. Int J Bus Econ Res. 2018;7(5):136-143. doi: 10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12,
  author = {Robert W. Meeds and Olan F. Farnall},
  title = {The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes},
  journal = {International Journal of Business and Economics Research},
  volume = {7},
  number = {5},
  pages = {136-143},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijber.20180705.12},
  abstract = {The objective of this study was to empirically test how these dependent variables are influenced by features and benefits in advertising copy. Advertising copy testing research has produced conflicting results regarding the independence of recall, recognition and attitude constructs. Most copy-testing research, however, has focused on consumers’ responses to the ad as a whole. The study reported here focuses on sentence-level manipulations to determine how variations in sentence patterns influence consumer memory and attitudes for advertised claims. A within-subjects experiment using magazine ads as stimuli was conducted in which the presence or absence of pairs of consumer benefit and product feature sentences were manipulated. The dependent variables were phrase recognition, morpheme recall and attitude toward the ad. Results showed that benefit and feature sentences did not improve recognition memory for phrases. However, ads with benefits or features enhanced morphemic recall and attitudes compared to the control condition. In particular, for ads that contained integrated benefit sentences and feature sentences together, an interactive effect was observed. Readers of these copy blocks displayed more positive attitudes toward the ad and higher levels of morpheme recall than benefits-only or features-only ads. The results are consistent with predictions from construal level theory, which has shown that benefit-based appeals are more effective in high construal situations while benefit- and attribute-based appeals are equally effective in low construal situations.},
 year = {2018}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes
AU - Robert W. Meeds
AU - Olan F. Farnall
Y1 - 2018/09/29
PY - 2018
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12
DO - 10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12
T2 - International Journal of Business and Economics Research
JF - International Journal of Business and Economics Research
JO - International Journal of Business and Economics Research
SP - 136
EP - 143
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2328-756X
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12
AB - The objective of this study was to empirically test how these dependent variables are influenced by features and benefits in advertising copy. Advertising copy testing research has produced conflicting results regarding the independence of recall, recognition and attitude constructs. Most copy-testing research, however, has focused on consumers’ responses to the ad as a whole. The study reported here focuses on sentence-level manipulations to determine how variations in sentence patterns influence consumer memory and attitudes for advertised claims. A within-subjects experiment using magazine ads as stimuli was conducted in which the presence or absence of pairs of consumer benefit and product feature sentences were manipulated. The dependent variables were phrase recognition, morpheme recall and attitude toward the ad. Results showed that benefit and feature sentences did not improve recognition memory for phrases. However, ads with benefits or features enhanced morphemic recall and attitudes compared to the control condition. In particular, for ads that contained integrated benefit sentences and feature sentences together, an interactive effect was observed. Readers of these copy blocks displayed more positive attitudes toward the ad and higher levels of morpheme recall than benefits-only or features-only ads. The results are consistent with predictions from construal level theory, which has shown that benefit-based appeals are more effective in high construal situations while benefit- and attribute-based appeals are equally effective in low construal situations.
VL - 7
IS - 5
ER -

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Author Information

Robert W. Meeds

Department of Communications, California State University, Fullerton, USA
Olan F. Farnall

Department of Advertising, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Robert W. Meeds, Olan F. Farnall. (2018). The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes. International Journal of Business and Economics Research, 7(5), 136-143. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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ACS Style

Robert W. Meeds; Olan F. Farnall. The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes. Int. J. Bus. Econ. Res. 2018, 7(5), 136-143. doi: 10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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AMA Style

Robert W. Meeds, Olan F. Farnall. The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes. Int J Bus Econ Res. 2018;7(5):136-143. doi: 10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12,
  author = {Robert W. Meeds and Olan F. Farnall},
  title = {The Effects of Feature and Benefit Sentences in Advertising Copy on Consumers’ Memory and Attitudes},
  journal = {International Journal of Business and Economics Research},
  volume = {7},
  number = {5},
  pages = {136-143},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20180705.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijber.20180705.12},
  abstract = {The objective of this study was to empirically test how these dependent variables are influenced by features and benefits in advertising copy. Advertising copy testing research has produced conflicting results regarding the independence of recall, recognition and attitude constructs. Most copy-testing research, however, has focused on consumers’ responses to the ad as a whole. The study reported here focuses on sentence-level manipulations to determine how variations in sentence patterns influence consumer memory and attitudes for advertised claims. A within-subjects experiment using magazine ads as stimuli was conducted in which the presence or absence of pairs of consumer benefit and product feature sentences were manipulated. The dependent variables were phrase recognition, morpheme recall and attitude toward the ad. Results showed that benefit and feature sentences did not improve recognition memory for phrases. However, ads with benefits or features enhanced morphemic recall and attitudes compared to the control condition. In particular, for ads that contained integrated benefit sentences and feature sentences together, an interactive effect was observed. Readers of these copy blocks displayed more positive attitudes toward the ad and higher levels of morpheme recall than benefits-only or features-only ads. The results are consistent with predictions from construal level theory, which has shown that benefit-based appeals are more effective in high construal situations while benefit- and attribute-based appeals are equally effective in low construal situations.},
 year = {2018}
}

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