Advertising management principles are derived mostly from logic and very little from empirical generalizations

Abstract

This article illustrates with numerous examples that the strategic principles of advertising management – and also its concepts and frameworks – are derived more from logic (by deduction) than from empirical generalizations (by induction). As argued by Rossiter in Marketing Theory (2001b, 2002), empirical generalizations are useful only when they are translated into strategic principles, which are ‘if, do’ recommendations for managerial actions. The present article comprehensively demonstrates that advertising’s strategic principles depend either (a) entirely on logical thinking, or (b) on logical thinking about causality designed to ‘ungeneralize’ – and specifically for the brand, improve upon – general empirical findings.