Encoding and Retrieval of Ad Affect in Memory

Abstract

The relationship in memory between affect evoked by an ad during exposure and the brand name is discussed and tested. Two studies tested the possible role of advertising in strengthening ties between affect and a brand name in memory by examining accessibility of ad affect and its possible relevance to decision making. The first study assessed whether the brand name could serve as a prime for ad affect and whether such affect is likely to have greater influence in low than high involvement decisions. The second study showed that subjects whose brand preferences were influenced by positive affect during ad exposure were more able to feel positive when the brand name was used as a subsequent retrieval cue than either subjects without positive affect at exposure or subjects for whom a different brand name was used as the subsequent retrieval cue. Implications are drawn from these results for the storage and retrieval of advertising-elicited affect in memory.