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

for the advertiser and advertising medium

Introduction ................................................................................ 9
1.1
1.2
1.3

1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7

Introductory ................................................................................... 9
Problem discussion ..................................................................... 11
Purpose ....................................................................................... 11
1.3.1 Fulfillment of purpose ....................................................... 11
1.3.2 Structure of research questions ........................................ 12
1.3.3 Research question structure ............................................. 13
Perspective ................................................................................. 13
Delimitations ................................................................................ 13
Methodology ................................................................................ 14
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
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7

The development of news advertising ......................................... 16

Emerging threats change conditions ........................................... 16
Increased interest in the web ...................................................... 17
Online advertising on a decrease ................................................ 17
Free news; was it a mistake? ...................................................... 18
A need for resolution ................................................................... 18
Advertorials, part of a sustainable solution? ................................ 18

3 Frame of reference ............................................................. 19

3.1

3.2

3.3
3.4

3.5

Advertorials and research ........................................................... 19

3.1.1 Popular advertising format ................................................ 19
3.1.2 Yet subtle and non-intrusive ............................................. 19
Online context: differences and issues ........................................ 20
3.2.1 Characteristics of online advertising ................................. 20
3.2.2 Specific effects of the online context ................................. 21
Deceptive advertising and recognition......................................... 22
Credibility .................................................................................... 24
3.4.1 Operational definition ........................................................ 24
3.4.2 What constitutes credibility ............................................... 24
3.4.3 Hovlands model of attribution of credibility ....................... 24
3.4.4 Aftonbladet and Volvo in Hovlands model ....................... 25
3.4.5 News credibility ................................................................. 26
3.4.6 The effects of using advertorials ....................................... 27
3.4.7 Brand credibility ................................................................ 28
Irritation ....................................................................................... 28
3.5.1 Irritation and level of deception ......................................... 28

3.6

3.5.2 What is irritating? .............................................................. 28

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

3.7
3.8

3.6.3 Likeliness to return to site ................................................. 31

Consumer view on advertorials ................................................... 31
Summary of hypotheses .............................................................. 32

4 Method ................................................................................ 34
4.1

4.2

Research perspective .................................................................. 34

4.1.1 Nature of purpose ............................................................. 34
4.1.2 Multi method approach ..................................................... 34
Primary data ................................................................................ 35
4.2.1 Pilot test ............................................................................ 35
4.2.2 Experiment ....................................................................... 35
4.2.2.1
4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
4.2.2.4
4.2.2.5
4.2.2.6

Design .............................................................................................................. 35
The treatment .................................................................................................. 37
Multiple-group experiment .............................................................................. 38
Preparations for the experiment ...................................................................... 38
Measuring deceptiveness of advertorials ........................................................ 38
Suggested guidelines for disguise content analysis ........................................ 38

4.2.3 Questionnaire ................................................................... 40

4.2.3.1
4.2.3.2
4.2.3.3
4.2.3.4
4.2.3.5
4.2.3.6
4.2.3.7
4.2.3.8
4.2.3.9

How to formulate questions ............................................................................. 40

Types of questions used ................................................................................... 40
How to write questions .................................................................................... 41
On coding of questions .................................................................................... 41
Selection of sample .......................................................................................... 43
Data requirements table .................................................................................. 44
Scale measurements ........................................................................................ 45
Construction of hypotheses .............................................................................. 45
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
5.2
5.3
5.4

Proposed changes for hypotheses .............................................. 55

Mean values for hypotheses ....................................................... 55
Test for normality......................................................................... 55
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
5.4.4.2
5.4.4.3
5.4.4.4
5.4.4.5

Hypothesis 1: Perceived expertise of Volvo ...................................................... 57

Hypothesis 2: Perceived trustworthiness of Volvo .......................................... 57
Hypothesis 3: Irritation with Volvo................................................................ 57
Hypothesis 4: Brand attitude towards Volvo .................................................. 57
Hypothesis 5: Advertising avoidance for Volvo .............................................. 58

5.4.5 Hypotheses for Aftonbladet.se .......................................... 58

5.4.5.1
5.4.5.2
5.4.5.3
5.4.5.4
5.4.5.5

Hypothesis 6: Perceived expertise of Aftonbladet.se ........................................ 58

Hypothesis 7: Perceived trustworthiness of Aftonbladet.se ............................ 58
Hypothesis 8: Irritation with Aftonbladet.se .................................................. 58
Hypothesis 9: Brand attitude towards Aftonbladet.se.................................... 59
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

5.5

5.4.7 Summarizing results of hypotheses .................................. 60

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

5.7

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
Summary of interviews ................................................................ 63

6 Analysis............................................................................... 66
6.1
6.2
6.3

6.4
6.5
6.6

Credibility .................................................................................... 66
Irritation ....................................................................................... 68
Consequences on brand attitudes & consumer behavior ............ 68
6.3.1 Brand attitudes.................................................................. 68
6.3.2 Consumer behavior .......................................................... 69
Recognition ................................................................................. 70
View on the use of advertorials and its ethical concerns ............. 71
Significant relationships between variables ................................. 72

7 Conclusion .......................................................................... 74
8 Discussion .......................................................................... 77
8.1
8.2

Research quality and methods .................................................... 77

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)

(2004)

(2002)

(2004)

(2002)

(2007)

(2007)
(Mitchell & Jolley, 2007)

(2007)

(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2007, citing Dillman, 2000)

(2007)

(A. Santos, 1999)

(Cronbach, 1951)
(A. Santos, 1999; George & Mallery, 2003; Bland &
Altman, 1997)
(George & Mallery, 2003)

(1995)

(2004)

(Batra & Ahtola, 1990)

(2000)

(Till & Busler, 2000)

(Mitchell & Jolley, 2007)

(1996)

(1995)
(2004)

(Saunders,
Lewis, & Thornhill, 2007)

(2007)

(2007)