Paper Title
The Influence Of Cognitive And Affective Priming On Banner Ad Attention And Effect
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factor of web context in directing consumers’ attention
to peripheral banner advertising and explore the moderate effect of ad attention on attitudes. Cognitive and
affective priming activated by web contents are discussed in the study. Cognitive priming is manipulated by web
contents being congruent with ad contents, and affective priming is manipulated by positive and negative affect
aroused by web contents. Advertising attention and effects are measured as dependent variables; advertising
attention is measured by the eye-tracking (1000 Hz EyeLink) which is used for recording respondents’ fixations;
and, advertising effects including recall and attitudes are measured by questionnaires. A laboratory experiment
is conducted and a total of 62 subjects are recruited in this study. This study has contrary results showing that
cognitive priming has no significant impact on advertising attention and attitudes. Similarly, affective priming
has no positive relationship with advertising attention, while positive affect has better advertising attitudes than
negative affect does. Finally, the relationship between affective priming and advertising attitudes is moderated
by ad attention. Specifically, with low advertising attention, consumers’ ad attitudes are influenced by
consumers’ affect; however, with high advertising attention, this does not happen.
Keywords - Banner advertising, cognitive priming, affective priming, web context, ad attention, ad effects, eye-tracking.