The Differential Effect of Ad Novelty and Message Usefulness on Brand Judgments

Abstract

We examine the differential effects of ad novelty and message usefulness-frequently conceptualized as the two major dimensions of ad creativity-on the following variables: attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand, brand trust, ad recall, and brand recall. Novelty and usefulness influence attitude toward the brand, but only usefulness influences brand trust. Both relationships are mediated by attitude toward the ad. We also investigate how novelty and usefulness influence recall by both type (brand and ad) and duration (short term and long term). We find that novelty leads to better short-term ad recall, whereas usefulness leads to better short-term and long-term brand recall. © 2011 American Academy of Advertising. All rights reserved.