The Effects of Advertising Valence on Comparative Advertising: The Roles of Counterarguments

Abstract

Comparative advertising has been widely used in the United States. It is generally believed that comparative advertising is more effective than non-comparative advertising in terms of memory, claim acceptance, and Consumer Perceptions. With the growing popularity of comparative advertising in recent years, it becomes crucial to examine different kinds of comparative advertisements more closely. Using two experimental studies, this paper aims at understanding the effects of direct versus indirect comparative advertising and investigating the moderating effects of advertising valence and the mediating effects of counter-arguments. Based on our findings, managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.