Versteckte Effekte

Effects of product placements on attitudes have rarely been the subject of scientific research so far. Furthermore, existing findings are partially contradictory??a fact that has been explained with the impact of intervening variables both on the side of the stimulus and of the recipient. Especially the design of the placement is said to have an influence on whether the intended effect shows up or not. In this context the prominence/salience of the placement is of importance. The following study is based on an experiment (n?=?221) testing how the prominence of placements affects the attitudes of recipients. For this, we measure attitudes not only by explicit questioning using a semantic differential, but also with the help of an implicit association test. In doing so we react to criticism of the methodological one-sidedness of past examinations of the effects of product placement, most of them solely relying on self-reports to measure attitudes. The experiment shows that the implicit measurement of attitudes uncovers effects that would have remained in the dark if only explicit questioning had occurred. The study also reveals that the presentation of subtle placements results in more positive brand attitudes; this relation is moderated by recipients?? programme assessment.