The influence of print advertisement organization on odd‐ending price image effects
| Date | 01 September 2002 |
| Pages | 319-334 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/10610420210442193 |
| Published date | 01 September 2002 |
| Author | Keith S. Coulter |
| Subject Matter | Marketing |
The influence of print
advertisement organization on
odd-ending price image effects
Keith S. Coulter
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Clark University Graduate School
of Management, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Keywords Pricing, Advertising, Consumer behaviour
Abstract Although findings have been inconsistent, there is some evidence from both
experimental studies and field research that prices set just below the nearest round figure
produce higher than expected demand at that level. Other research has demonstrated that
the organization of verbal and/or pictorial elements of a print advertisement can
influence the persuasive impact of that ad. The author combines these two streams of
research in examining preference for brands associated with 0- versus 9-ending prices
that are displayed in different advertising layouts. Results indicate that the higher than
expected demand associated with 9-ending prices is more likely when prices are placed to
the left of attended verbal information contained in an ad, due to the more positive
evaluations of price that occur with more efficient subconscious processing.
Introduction
Research findings have demonstrated that the physical positioning of ads
within specific media vehicles can have an impact on both the evaluation of,
and preference for, print advertising material. For example, non-attended
verbal ads (i.e. those toward which the reader is paying only minimal
attention) are liked more when placed to the right as opposed to the left of
attended written material, while the opposite is true for non-attended
pictorial print ads (Janiszewski, 1988). Similarly, ads with written copy
material placed on the right side of the ad and pictorial material on the left
are preferred over advertisements that have verbal material on the left and an
illustration on the right (Ellis and Miller, 1981).
The preferences for certain organizations have been attributed to the greater
degree of subconscious analysis that results from specialized hemispheric
processing (Anand et al., 1988; Janiszewski, 1990, 1988). The subconscious
analysis of a stimulus is enhanced when its placement results in its engaging
a single hemisphere, while attended elements within the environment
primarily engage the opposite hemisphere. Certain placements can result in
engaging the left hemisphere (a more efficient processor of verbal
information) or the right hemisphere (a more efficient processor of pictorial,
spatial, and numerical information).
A large number of studies in the literature have demonstrated that preference
or liking for a stimulus can be influenced by the subconscious analysis it
receives (e.g. Anand et al., 1988; Bonanno and Stillings, 1986; Janiszewski,
1988; Bornstein et al., 1987; Zajonc, 1968). As the amount of subconscious
processing (Bonanno and Stillings, 1986) or preattentive analysis
(Janiszewski, 1988) increases, an individual's liking of the material is
enhanced.
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Subconscious analysis
Preattentive analysis
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Thus if that stimulus material happens to be a price, the degree of
subconscious processing may directly affect the images associated with odd-
number prices (e.g. $7.99) which are set slightly below whole numbers.
Images that have often been associated with odd-ending ``just-below'' prices
are that the product is on sale or that the price has been reduced (Schindler,
1984; Schindler and Kibarian, 1996). Such images have been hypothesized
to lead to the frequently observed ``greater than expected'' (i.e. kinked)
demand that occurs at these particular price points (Schindler, 1984). Thus
the organization of an ad's executional elements (e.g. copy, headline,
illustration) and the physical placement of price relative to those elements
may influence the manner in which price is perceived relative to other
brands, and hence affect purchase choice.
This paper examines both price image and frequency of choice (demand) for
brands associated with different price points and advertising layouts.
Specifically, the impact of displaying 9- versus 0-ending prices to the left or
right of both verbal copy and pictorial information is addressed. The results
have important implications in terms of the manner in which price is
displayed in order to achieve optimal comparison with competing brands.
Theoretical development
Left versus right cerebral processing
As noted earlier, there is substantial evidence in the literature that the
organization of the advertising environment can influence the
comprehension and evaluation of print advertising material. Also, as noted
earlier, non-attended verbal ads are liked more when placed to the right as
opposed to the left of attended material, while the converse is true for non-
attended pictorial print ads (Janiszewski, 1988). Similarly, ads with verbal
material placed on the right side of the ad and pictorial material on the left
are preferred over advertisements that have verbal material on the left and
pictorial material on the right (Ellis and Miller, 1981).
In each case, the preferences for certain organizations have been attributed to
the more efficient subconscious analyses afforded by these particular
organizations (Anand et al., 1988; Bornstein et al., 1987; Mandler et al.,
1987; Zajonc, 1968). Janiszewski (1988) showed that the pre-attentive
analysis of information can enhance a consumer's liking for it. As
subconscious processing efficiency is increased, an individual's liking of the
material is enhanced, because subconscious analysis (e.g. of attributes or
semantic cues) often creates a feeling of familiarity that is interpreted as
affect or preference for the stimulus (Bonanno and Stillings, 1986; Seamon
et al., 1984).
The amount of subconscious processing varies as a function of number and
length of subliminal exposure(s) (Beaumont, 1982), but can also be
manipulated by varying accessibility to specialized hemispheric resources
(Anand et al., 1989; Janiszewski, 1988). Because the optic nerves cross on
the way to the brain, material in the left visual field directly engages the right
hemisphere of the brain, and material in the right visual field directly
engages the left hemisphere (Curtis, 1968; Young, 1982; Beaumont, 1982).
Therefore, a pictorial ad placed in the left visual field directly engages the
right hemisphere. The right hemisphere is a more efficient processor of
pictorial information, and thus provides a more accessible subconscious trace
when a conscious evaluation is performed. Similarly, a text ad placed to the
right of attended material directly engages the left hemisphere. The left
hemisphere is capable of performing an initial analysis of verbal information,
Different price points
Feeling of familiarity
320 JOURNAL OF PRODUCT & BRAND MANAGEMENT, VOL. 11 NO. 5 2002
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