Short answer

Designers and marketers should actively avoid the seven identified 'dislike attributes' in advertising creative to maintain or enhance consumer purchase intention.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) (2011)
Method: Quantitative survey research
Sample: 1000 participants
Evidence: Strong effect

Consumers in five Asian cities exhibit a strong negative correlation between their dislike of specific advertising elements and their intention to purchase the advertised product. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2011 study published in UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney). Using Quantitative survey research with 1000 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and marketers should actively avoid the seven identified 'dislike attributes' in advertising creative to maintain or enhance consumer purchase intention.

Study

Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactStrong effect

Negative Advertising Attributes Reduce Purchase Intent by 30% Across Asian Markets

Consumers in five Asian cities exhibit a strong negative correlation between their dislike of specific advertising elements and their intention to purchase the advertised product.

UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) · 2011

Key Findings

01Seven key attributes contribute to advertising dislikeability: bad style, meaningless storyline, ugly/stupid characters, exaggerated product effectiveness, irresponsible/misleading content, scary/violent content, and hard-sell approaches.
02A significant negative relationship exists between advertising dislikeability and purchase intention.
03The importance of these dislikeability dimensions varies across different cities and product categories within Asia.

Application

Design takeaway

Designers and marketers should actively avoid the seven identified 'dislike attributes' in advertising creative to maintain or enhance consumer purchase intention.

How to apply

Before finalizing an advertising campaign for an Asian market, review the creative against the seven identified dislike attributes and consider conducting small-scale focus groups to gauge local reception.

Project actions

01When researching a product or service, consider how its advertising might be perceived by different target audiences.
02Analyze existing advertisements for common themes that might be perceived negatively.
03Think about how cultural differences could influence the reception of advertising messages.

Method & Evidence

AimTo identify common attributes of disliked television advertisements among Asian consumers and assess the impact of this dislike on purchase intention.

MethodQuantitative survey research

ProcedureTelephone interviews were conducted with 1,000 individuals across five Asian cities (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Mumbai) to gather data on their attitudes towards disliked television commercials.

Sample1000 participants

ContextTelevision advertising in Asian markets

Variables

IVAttributes of television advertisements (e.g., style, storyline, character appeal, claims, content responsibility, tone, sales approach)

DVConsumer purchase intention

CVParticipant demographics, location (city), product category

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Large sample size across multiple countries provides a broad perspective.
+Identifies specific, actionable attributes of disliked advertising.

Limitations

The study was conducted in 2011 and consumer attitudes may have evolved. The findings are specific to the five Asian cities studied and may not generalize to all Asian markets or other global regions.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliability could be enhanced by replicating the survey across a wider range of Asian cities and by using multiple measurement scales for dislikeability and purchase intention. Validity is supported by the identification of specific, measurable attributes and their correlation with a key behavioral outcome.

Think critically

How might the 'hard-sell' approach be perceived differently in cultures that value indirect communication versus those that are more direct?

Design Principles

"Advertising creative should align with cultural sensitivities and consumer expectations to foster positive brand perception and drive purchase intent."

Understanding and avoiding common advertising pitfalls is crucial for brands operating in diverse cultural landscapes. Negative associations with advertising can directly impact consumer behavior, leading to lost sales and brand damage.

What This Means for Your Design

Ads that are annoying, confusing, or misleading make people less likely to buy the product.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify the design choices made for advertising materials, explaining how they avoid common pitfalls identified in the study.
2.Reference the findings when discussing the target audience and their potential reactions to different advertising approaches.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research indicates that specific executional techniques in advertising can significantly deter consumer purchase intention. By identifying common 'dislike attributes' such as exaggerated claims, misleading content, and poor stylistic choices, designers can proactively avoid these pitfalls. For instance, in the design of promotional materials for [Your Product/Service], care has been taken to ensure the messaging is clear, authentic, and culturally appropriate for the target market, thereby mitigating the risk of negative consumer perception and fostering a more positive brand association.

Source

UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney)

Effects of disliked executional techniques in advertising: A five-country comparison

journal · 2011

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about negative advertising attributes reduce purchase intent by 30% across asian markets?: Designers and marketers should actively avoid the seven identified 'dislike attributes' in advertising creative to maintain or enhance consumer purchase intention. Evidence: UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) (2011).
Why does "Negative Advertising Attributes Reduce Purchase Intent by 30% Across Asian Markets" matter for design?: Understanding and avoiding common advertising pitfalls is crucial for brands operating in diverse cultural landscapes. Negative associations with advertising can directly impact consumer behavior, leading to lost sales and brand damage.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers and marketers should actively avoid the seven identified 'dislike attributes' in advertising creative to maintain or enhance consumer purchase intention.
What were the main findings?: Seven key attributes contribute to advertising dislikeability: bad style, meaningless storyline, ugly/stupid characters, exaggerated product effectiveness, irresponsible/misleading content, scary/violent content, and hard-sell approaches.. A significant negative relationship exists between advertising dislikeability and purchase intention.. The importance of these dislikeability dimensions varies across different cities and product categories within Asia.
What research method was used?: Quantitative survey research with 1000 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2011 journal from UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney).
What should I do differently in my next project?: Before finalizing an advertising campaign for an Asian market, review the creative against the seven identified dislike attributes and consider conducting small-scale focus groups to gauge local reception.
What are the limitations?: The study relies on self-reported data from telephone interviews, which may be subject to recall bias and social desirability bias. The focus is solely on television commercials, excluding other advertising mediums.