Parity Issues in Services Advertising

Abstract

Significant conceptual development in the services literature supports the notion that advertisers should provide many facts about their product to create a tangible perception of the service offering. However, when products are thought to have many substitutes in the minds of consumers, advertisers often believe it is important to use images to connect their product with particular lifestyles. This paper explores the assumptions that often lead to conflicting recommendations based on these perspectives. Managerial actions and research questions are proposed.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gregory Pickett

Gregory M. Pickett received his doctoral degree from Oklahoma State University and is currently an associate professor of marketing at Clemson University. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Journal of Health Care Marketing, Journal of Business Logistics, and various other journals.

Stephen Grove

Stephen J. Grove received his doctoral degree from Oklahoma State University and is currently an associate professor of marketing at Clemson University. His articles have appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Health Care Marketing, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Marketing Education, and various other journals.

Les Carlson

Les Carlson received his doctorate from the University of Nebraska and is currently an associate professor of marketing at Clemson University. His work has appeared in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Business Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Advertising, and other journals.

Donald A. McBane

Donald A. McBane received his doctorate from Texas Tech University and is currently an assistant professor of marketing at Clemson University. He has published in the Proceedings of American Marketing Association Educator’s Conference, the National Sales Management Conference, the A. M. A. Microcomputers in Education Conference, and Advances in Health Care Research

David Laband

David Laband received his doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and is currently a professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at Auburn University. His work has appeared in the Journal of Advertising, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Southern Economic Journal, Economic Inquiry, and various other journals.