ADVERTISING MESSAGE STRATEGIES AND EXECUTIONAL DEVICES IN TELEVISION COMMERCIALS FROM AWARD-WINNING “EFFECTIVE” CAMPAIGNS FROM 1999 TO 2004 By STEPHEN W. MARSHALL A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2006 Copyright 2006 by Stephen W. Marshall This document is dedicated to my family. Without their support and enthusiasm, I would not have completed this project. God is love. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my thanks and extreme appreciation to all those who directly and indirectly helped me gain the knowledge to accomplish this goal. First, I would like to thank my adviser and mentor, Dr. Marilyn Roberts. Her endless enthusiasm and faith in me was inspiring during difficult times. She is a great mentor, friend and is my foundation for this degree. It has been a pleasure to conduct this dissertation with her guidance. Second, I would like to extend sincere thanks to Dr. John Sutherland. It was his initial faith in me which as led me down a new and exciting career path. I entered the Ph.D. program not knowing what roads I would travel. I knew I was committed to becoming a better researcher as well as a contributor to my profession. However, I did not realize I could be a good teacher. I will always be indebted to him for his guidance, support, but most importantly, seeing something in me I did not see in myself. Third, I would like to thank my other committee members, Dr. Debbie Treise and Dr. Richard Lutz. I was fortunate to have a great team to help me improve my research abilities and the findings enclosed here. Both have contributed to my growth as a professional. Last, I thank my family and friends for their undying love and support. My education and this dissertation were quite challenging but my family was always available for support. I am blessed by your love. iv I am also grateful to the many professors in the Department of Advertising and Department of Telecommunication in the College of Journalism and Communications as well as my student colleagues. All have contributed to my growth. v TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. ix ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................1 Purpose and Importance of Study.................................................................................2 Outline ..........................................................................................................................3 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................................4 Television Advertising..................................................................................................4 Fragmentation and Clutter.....................................................................................5 Commercial Clutter .............................................................................................10 Engagement .........................................................................................................12 Television Advertising Expenditures ..................................................................14 Top Television Advertisers .................................................................................15 Advertising Agencies..................................................................................................16 Advertising Effectiveness...........................................................................................19 Theoretical Models of Advertising Effectiveness ......................................................23 Hierarchy of Effects Models ...............................................................................24 Elaboration Likelihood Model ............................................................................26 FCB Grid .............................................................................................................27 Rossiter – Percy Grid...........................................................................................30 Message Strategies and Typologies............................................................................34 Informational and Transformational Messages...................................................35 Taylor Six-Segment Strategy Wheel ...................................................................41 Executional Elements and Tactics in Commercials....................................................42 Research Questions.....................................................................................................45 3 METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................................47 Content Analysis Defined...........................................................................................48 Establishing the Current Content Analysis Method ...................................................51 vi Unit of Analysis and Sample Frame...........................................................................55 Current Coding Procedure and Reliability Analysis ..................................................56 Rules and Procedures ..........................................................................................56 Judges and Judge Training ..................................................................................58 Pretesting .............................................................................................................59 Judge Independence.............................................................................................59 Number of Judges per Spot .................................................................................60 Statistical Evaluation of Intercoder Reliability ...................................................60 EFFIE Sample Reliability Estimates...................................................................63 Building the Final EFFIE Sample Frame ...................................................................66 Product Category Decisions ................................................................................68 FCB Categories ...................................................................................................69 Data Analysis.......................................................................................................70 4 RESULTS...................................................................................................................71 Descriptive Statistics of EFFIE Commercials ............................................................71 Spot Time Descriptive Characteristics by Year ..................................................71 MRI Product Category Descriptive Characteristics ............................................72 Advertising Agency Brand Descriptive Characteristics......................................73 Hypotheses..................................................................................................................74 Hypothesis 1: Advertisements for Product Categories on the FCB Grid as “Thinking” Products Will Exhibit More Informational Message Strategies than Transformational Message Strategies. .....................................................74 Hypothesis 2: Advertisements for Products Categorized on the FCB Grid as “Feeling” Products Will Exhibit More Transformational Message Strategies than Informational Message Strategies. ..........................................74 Research Questions.....................................................................................................75 Research Question 1: What Trends have Occurred Over Time in Regards to Informational and Transformational Message Strategies Found in EFFIE Award Winning Campaigns?...........................................................................75 Research Question 2: Do Certain Product Categories Have Consistent Message Typologies Over Time? ....................................................................77 Research Question 3: What Are the Significant Differences in Executional Characteristics Between Informational and Transformational EFFIE Television Advertisements?.............................................................................78 Research Question 4: What Trends Have Occurred Over Time in Regards to Executional Factors Found in EFFIE Award Winning Commercials?............89 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS......................................................................95 Descriptive Results..............................................................................................95 Congruency of FCB Grid in EFFIE Sample........................................................99 The Use of Informational and Transformational Message Strategies by Year .100 Product Category Message Typologies.............................................................101 Informational and Transformational Executional Characteristics.....................101 Executional Characteristic Trends.....................................................................104