Program Involvement: Are Moderate Levels Best for Ad Memory and Attitude toward the Ad?

Abstract

An experiment found that viewer involvement with a television program has a positive effect on ad memory and attitude toward the ad (Aad) as program involvement increases from low to moderate levels. However, further increases in program involvement beyond moderate to high levels lead to decreases in ad memory and Aad. This inverted-U relationship between program involvement and ad memory and Aad is explained by theories of arousal and has several implications for the slotting and design of commercials.