Relative Effectiveness of Print and Digital Advertising : A Memory Perspective

The exponential growth in digital media has raised questions about the relevance of printmedia in the overall marketing mix. In this study, we evaluate the relative effectiveness of printand digital media in advertising using a multi-methodological approach. Using eye-tracking andneurophysiological measures during exposure, we show that print ads are associated with greaterlevels of engagement and arousal, while digital ads are associated with shorter but more directedprocessing. When participants retrieved information about the ads a week later, using functionalmagnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we demonstrate increased activation in the hippocampusand the parahippocampus regions for print relative to digital ads. Based on the postulated role ofthese brain regions in memory retrieval, we hypothesize that print ads lead to better encoding ofcontextual information and associations among the ad contents. We validate these hypotheses inan independent follow-up behavioral study. These findings suggest that print media have certainnotable advantages in terms of memory encoding and retrieval, highlighting the importance ofboth print and digital media in advertising and marketing communications