The Role of Varying Information Quantity in Ads on Immediate and Enduring Cross-Media Synergies

Advertisers are increasingly incorporating online and offline media in their marketing communication plans to leverage synergies across them. However, if there are no differences in modality it is unclear if mixed online-offline media usage can lead to cross-media synergies. Drawing from priming research and two-factor theory of repetition, the authors argue that varying information quantity on ads in different media leads to differences in ad processing at initial exposures which impacts how information processing capacity is expended on retrieval versus encoding activities on later exposures. This research compares the effect of mixed media usage (Internet banner-Print magazine-permission Email or E-P-I) versus single media usage (I-I-I, E-E-E, and P-P-P) on aided and unaided brand information recall and brand attitude. Experimental data show that mixed media use leads to synergy and mixed-media with increasing available brand information (I-P-E) lead to significantly better immediate and delayed outcomes. Implications are drawn for media-planning and media scheduling