Much of what is described as advertising pretesting is better viewed as an incomplete and imaginative attempt to measure steps along a surmised hierarchical process that is only indirectly related to the purposes for which the advertising is created. This paper reviews design weaknesses in current advertising pretesting and highlights prevalent misconceptions. Elements that, when present, contribute to enhanced brand feelings are identified. It finds a link between how people feel towards the brand and the way they react to its advertising but strength of brand has no affect on gaining attention.
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