Archive for September 2009

Are nonconscious processes out of control?

I have written before in this blog about the the question of whether nonconscious processes need to be “protected” from stimuli that trigger them.  The need for protection is derived from a belief that these processes are somehow more vulnerable than conscious processes, and further, that stimulating them can make us do things (specifically, buy [...]

Bleed-over: Response to ads depends on context

A clever series of experiments is reported in the Journal of Consumer Research dealing with how people respond to advertising in context.  Researchers Hao Shen, Yuwei Jiang, and Rashmi Adaval had people read pages from a mock magazine that contained articles (movie reviews for a film festival) and an ad (for a watch).  Participants were [...]

What if Robert Heath is right? Attention, emotion, and advertising

I admit it, I’m a sucker for any argument that turns an established paradigm on its head.  It’s hard to beat that little thrill you get when you realize everything we thought we knew may be wrong!
My favorite iconoclast in the advertising research world is Robert Heath, a former ad man turned academic whose home [...]