Through the looking glass: a semiotic analysis and experimental test of pace and angle effects in television advertising

This dissertation addressed two broad questions: a) is it possible to systematically describe dimensions of form on which montage varies in TV advertising, and b) given that dimensions can be identified, how do variations in form affect viewer responses to ads? The first question was addressed through a semiotic analysis of ad form, the second question through an experiment that tested for pace and angle effects on brand learning and brand attitudes. The semiotic analysis built upon the work of C.S. Peirce, Christian Metz, Gerard Genette, and Herbert Zettl. Using our normal experience of time and space as a kind of deep structural baseline, it formally defined such montage variables as pace, angle, horizon, color, the camera cut and camera movement, and paradigmatic/syntagmatic shot syntax. Mathematical or quasi-mathematical notation was developed to describe the range of values possible for these variables. In the experimental portion of the study, the effects of pace and angle were tested within a composite ad response model that combined two competing theories -- distraction theory (which predicts a negative distraction effect for abnormal pace and angle values) and the dual-mediation hypothesis (which predicts a positive attention effect) . The results were consistent with distraction theory, i.e., abnormal executions resulted in significantly lower brand learning and brand attitudes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Marketing

Department dc:contributor.department

Marketing

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1995

Author dc:creator

• Larsen, Val

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Sirgy, M. Joseph

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Littlefield, James
• Ozanne, Julie L.
• Trafimow, David
• Oliver, Mary Beth

• Advertising - viewer response

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-08272007-163840

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39276