The Effects of Brand Placement Disclosures in Fiction

Abstract

The present study is the first to explore the effects of brand placement disclosures in fiction. Prior to reading a short story featuring an unfamiliar brand, participants were exposed to either a brand-unspecific, brand-specific, or no placement disclosure. A longitudinal design was employed, such that conceptual persuasion knowledge (advertising recognition) and author-related perceptions (trustworthiness, intrinsic and ulterior motives for inserting the brand) were measured immediately (Time 1), while brand purchase intention was measured both immediately (Time 1) and after a two-week delay (Time 2). Mediation analyses showed that (especially specific) disclosures enhance advertising recognition and increase perceptions of the author’s ulterior (commercial) motives (both directly and via advertising recognition). Although disclosures did not influence purchase intention directly at either measurement point, they exerted an indirect negative effect on purchase intention at Time 2 via decreasing author trustworthiness.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship grant by the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO) awarded to the first author [grant number 1206119N].

Notes on contributors

Yana R. Avramova

Yana R. Avramova (PhD, University of Antwerp) is a postdoctoral researcher, Faculty of Business and Economics, Marketing Department, University of Antwerp.

Nathalie Dens

Nathalie Dens (PhD, University of Antwerp) is a professor of marketing, Faculty of Business and Economics, Marketing Department, University of Antwerp.

Patrick De Pelsmacker

Patrick De Pelsmacker (PhD, University of Ghent) is a professor of marketing, Faculty of Business and Economics, Marketing Department, University of Antwerp, and a professor of marketing, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Department of Marketing, Innovation, and Organization, Ghent University.