The Advertised Mind

Depth of processing and repetition combine to establish new memories and feelings about a brand

Most of our learning in relation to brands or ads is incidental. We do not set out to learn; it simply happens as a matter of course. Just as with deliberate learning, however, repetition will help establish the memory more firmly. It will typically take more exposure to establish a new memory than to confirm an old one, particularly if the new memory is in some way incompatible with the associations already established for the brand.

Again, this is entirely consistent with what we observe from tracking studies. Awareness of advertising accessed by the brand name tends to increase quickly in relation to exposure, because the brand itself is familiar, and the exposure automatically triggers existing associations (even prompting recall of previous advertising from years ago). Recall of memories specific to an execution tends to increase more slowly as the new ideas become established in relation to the brand.

Click on the highlights below to find out more:

• Emotion is critical to advertising because it is critical to all human thought
• Emotion is critical to advertising because it helps determine the depth of processing that takes place
• Depth of processing and repetition combine to establish new memories and feelings about a brand
• Brand equity is the sum of all feelings associations and memories related to the brand
• Brand memories are stored in a way that resembles an untidy overstocked cupboard
• Advertising contributes directly towards a brand’s equity
• Advertising response is the combined effect of creative and media planning
• There is no ‘one size fits all’ media strategy that can meet different advertising needs
• The emotional response to brands and ads can be researched
• The first response is the truest response