The authors examine two concerns that have emerged in research involving the attitude toward the ad (Aad) construct. The first pertains to conceptualization and measurement. Drawing on recent social cognition and consumer research, the authors propose a distinction for cognitive evaluation and affective reaction as separate dimensions of Aad. Empirical evidence is provided that supports the meaningfulness of this distinction in advertising-response data. The second concern involves processing set and its implications for the external validity of Aad research. The results suggest that processing individuals under disguised versus nondisguised “sets” will influence the nature of their affective versus cognitive responses to an ad.
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