The effect of advertorial deception on irritation, credibility, and attitude, both

for the advertiser and advertising medium

Introduction ................................................................................ 9
1.1 Introductory ................................................................................... 9
1.2 Problem discussion ..................................................................... 11
1.3 Purpose ....................................................................................... 11
1.3.1 Fulfillment of purpose ....................................................... 11
1.3.2 Structure of research questions ........................................ 12
1.3.3 Research question structure ............................................. 13
1.4 Perspective ................................................................................. 13
1.5 Delimitations ................................................................................ 13
1.6 Methodology ................................................................................ 14
1.7 Structure of thesis ....................................................................... 14
1.7.1 Introduction ....................................................................... 14
1.7.2 Background ...................................................................... 14
1.7.3 Frame of Reference .......................................................... 14
1.7.4 Method.............................................................................. 14
1.7.5 Empirical Material ............................................................. 14
1.7.6 Analysis ............................................................................ 15
1.7.7 Conclusion ........................................................................ 15
1.7.8 Disussion .......................................................................... 15
2 Background ........................................................................ 16
2.1 The development of news advertising ......................................... 16
2.2 Emerging threats change conditions ........................................... 16
2.3 Increased interest in the web ...................................................... 17
2.4 Online advertising on a decrease ................................................ 17
2.5 Free news; was it a mistake? ...................................................... 18
2.6 A need for resolution ................................................................... 18
2.7 Advertorials, part of a sustainable solution? ................................ 18
3 Frame of reference ............................................................. 19
3.1 Advertorials and research ........................................................... 19
3.1.1 Popular advertising format ................................................ 19
3.1.2 Yet subtle and non-intrusive ............................................. 19
3.2 Online context: differences and issues ........................................ 20
3.2.1 Characteristics of online advertising ................................. 20
3.2.2 Specific effects of the online context ................................. 21
3.3 Deceptive advertising and recognition......................................... 22
3.4 Credibility .................................................................................... 24
3.4.1 Operational definition ........................................................ 24
3.4.2 What constitutes credibility ............................................... 24
3.4.3 Hovland’s model of attribution of credibility ....................... 24
3.4.4 Aftonbladet and Volvo in Hovland’s model ....................... 25
3.4.5 News credibility ................................................................. 26
3.4.6 The effects of using advertorials ....................................... 27
3.4.7 Brand credibility ................................................................ 28
3.5 Irritation ....................................................................................... 28
3.5.1 Irritation and level of deception ......................................... 28
 3.5.2 What is irritating? .............................................................. 28
3.6 Consumer attitude and behavior ................................................. 29
3.6.1 Attitude toward brand........................................................ 29
3.6.2 Advertising avoidance ....................................................... 30
3.6.2.1 Rising phenomenon ......................................................................................... 30
3.6.2.2 Reasons for advertising avoidance.................................................................. 31
3.6.3 Likeliness to return to site ................................................. 31
3.7 Consumer view on advertorials ................................................... 31
3.8 Summary of hypotheses .............................................................. 32
4 Method ................................................................................ 34
4.1 Research perspective .................................................................. 34
4.1.1 Nature of purpose ............................................................. 34
4.1.2 Multi method approach ..................................................... 34
4.2 Primary data ................................................................................ 35
4.2.1 Pilot test ............................................................................ 35
4.2.2 Experiment ....................................................................... 35
4.2.2.1 Design .............................................................................................................. 35
4.2.2.2 The treatment .................................................................................................. 37
4.2.2.3 Multiple-group experiment .............................................................................. 38
4.2.2.4 Preparations for the experiment ...................................................................... 38
4.2.2.5 Measuring deceptiveness of advertorials ........................................................ 38
4.2.2.6 Suggested guidelines for disguise content analysis ........................................ 38
4.2.3 Questionnaire ................................................................... 40
4.2.3.1 How to formulate questions ............................................................................. 40
4.2.3.2 Types of questions used ................................................................................... 40
4.2.3.3 How to write questions .................................................................................... 41
4.2.3.4 On coding of questions .................................................................................... 41
4.2.3.5 Selection of sample .......................................................................................... 43
4.2.3.6 Data requirements table .................................................................................. 44
4.2.3.7 Scale measurements ........................................................................................ 45
4.2.3.8 Construction of hypotheses .............................................................................. 45
4.2.3.9 Execution of experiment .................................................................................. 45
4.2.4 Interviews ......................................................................... 45
4.2.4.1 Complementary embedded study .................................................................... 45
4.2.4.2 Semi structured interviews ............................................................................. 45
4.2.4.3 Considerations when performing interviews .................................................. 46
4.3 Secondary data ........................................................................... 47
4.3.1 Adopted scales ................................................................. 47
4.3.2 Search words .................................................................... 47
4.3.2.1 On Google scholar............................................................................................ 47
4.3.2.2 Scholarly Journals and Periodicalsfrom e-JULIA ........................................ 47
4.4 Data analysis ............................................................................... 48
4.4.1 Method of analysis ............................................................ 48
4.4.1.1 Summing up the sample ................................................................................. 48
4.4.1.2 Codebook .......................................................................................................... 49
4.4.1.3 Compound variables: summing up the constructs ......................................... 51
4.5 Validity......................................................................................... 51
4.5.1 Operational definition ........................................................ 51
4.5.2 Internal validity .................................................................. 51
4.5.3 External validity & generalisability..................................... 51
4.5.4 Construct validity .............................................................. 52
4.5.4.1 Summary of Cronbach alpha for all constructs ............................................. 52
4.5.5 Criterion-related validity .................................................... 52
 4.6 Reliability ..................................................................................... 53
4.6.1 Operational definition ........................................................ 53
4.6.2 Observer error and observer bias ..................................... 53
4.6.3 Subject/Participant error ................................................... 53
4.6.4 Subject/Participant bias .................................................... 54
5 Empirical findings .............................................................. 55
5.1 Proposed changes for hypotheses .............................................. 55
5.2 Mean values for hypotheses ....................................................... 55
5.3 Test for normality......................................................................... 55
5.4 Hypothesis testing ....................................................................... 55
5.4.1 Choice of statistical method .............................................. 55
5.4.2 Kruskal-Wallis test ............................................................ 56
5.4.2.1 Result ............................................................................................................... 56
5.4.3 One-way between groups ANOVA test ............................. 56
5.4.3.1 Result ............................................................................................................... 56
5.4.4 Hypotheses for Volvo ........................................................ 57
5.4.4.1 Hypothesis 1: Perceived expertise of Volvo ...................................................... 57
5.4.4.2 Hypothesis 2: Perceived trustworthiness of Volvo .......................................... 57
5.4.4.3 Hypothesis 3: Irritation with Volvo................................................................ 57
5.4.4.4 Hypothesis 4: Brand attitude towards Volvo .................................................. 57
5.4.4.5 Hypothesis 5: Advertising avoidance for Volvo .............................................. 58
5.4.5 Hypotheses for Aftonbladet.se .......................................... 58
5.4.5.1 Hypothesis 6: Perceived expertise of Aftonbladet.se ........................................ 58
5.4.5.2 Hypothesis 7: Perceived trustworthiness of Aftonbladet.se ............................ 58
5.4.5.3 Hypothesis 8: Irritation with Aftonbladet.se .................................................. 58
5.4.5.4 Hypothesis 9: Brand attitude towards Aftonbladet.se.................................... 59
5.4.5.5 Hypothesis 10: Likeliness to return to Aftonbladet.se .................................... 59
5.4.6 Hypothesis regarding the aspects of the advertorial ......... 59
5.4.6.1 Hypothesis 11: Advertising recognition .......................................................... 59
5.4.7 Summarizing results of hypotheses .................................. 60
5.5 Hierarchical multiple regression .................................................. 60
5.5.1 Summary of measurements .............................................. 60
5.5.2 Volvo ................................................................................. 61
5.5.2.1 Attitude towards Volvo .................................................................................... 61
5.5.2.2 Advertising avoidance of Volvo ....................................................................... 61
5.5.3 Aftonbladet.se ................................................................... 62
5.5.3.1 Attitude towards Aftonbladet.se...................................................................... 62
5.5.3.2 Likeliness to return to Aftonbladet.se ............................................................. 62
5.6 Other grouping variables in the Kruskal-Wallis test ..................... 63
5.6.1 Grouping variable: Recognition of advert by participant ... 63
5.6.2 Grouping variable: Sex of respondent .............................. 63
5.7 Summary of interviews ................................................................ 63
6 Analysis............................................................................... 66
6.1 Credibility .................................................................................... 66
6.2 Irritation ....................................................................................... 68
6.3 Consequences on brand attitudes & consumer behavior ............ 68
6.3.1 Brand attitudes.................................................................. 68
6.3.2 Consumer behavior .......................................................... 69
6.4 Recognition ................................................................................. 70
6.5 View on the use of advertorials and its ethical concerns ............. 71
6.6 Significant relationships between variables ................................. 72
7 Conclusion .......................................................................... 74
8 Discussion .......................................................................... 77
8.1 Research quality and methods .................................................... 77
8.2 Future research suggestions ....................................................... 77
8.2.1 Alternative 9 group research design ................................. 77
8.2.2 Examine advertorials from a brand alliance
perspective .................................................................................. 78
8.2.3 Advertiser consistency ...................................................... 78
8.2.4 Removing bias by making a fake news site ...................... 78
9 Bibliography ....................................................................... 79
10 Appendix ............................................................................. 86
10.1 Mock up advertorials ................................................................... 86
10.1.1 Low deception................................................................... 86
10.1.2 Medium deception ............................................................ 87
10.1.3 High deception .................................................................. 88
10.2 Study log of the pilot test ............................................................. 89
10.3 Questionnaire - Swedish version ................................................. 90
10.3.1 Aftonbladet.se ................................................................... 90
10.3.2 Volvo ................................................................................. 91
10.4 Questionnaire - English version .................................................. 93
10.4.1 Aftonbladet.se ................................................................... 93
10.4.2 Volvo ................................................................................. 94
10.5 Irritation measures....................................................................... 96
10.6 Credibility measure...................................................................... 97
10.7 Interview guide - Swedish ........................................................... 98
10.8 Interview guide - English ............................................................. 98
10.9 Interview summary ...................................................................... 99
10.10 SPSS outputs ............................................................................ 103
10.10.1 Test for normality ....................................................... 103
10.10.2 Result from one-way between groups ANOVA test.... 104
10.10.3 Homogeneity of variance ........................................... 104
10.11 Experiment poster ..................................................................... 105
(p. 39)
(Schweiger, 2000)
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 (A. Santos, 1999)
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(A. Santos, 1999; George & Mallery, 2003; Bland &

Altman, 1997)

(George & Mallery, 2003)

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(Batra & Ahtola, 1990)

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(2000)

(Till & Busler, 2000)

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