Improving the Effectiveness of Online Video Advertising: An Eye-tracking Approach
COM2 Level 4
Executive Classroom, COM2-04-02
Abstract:
Video advertising is becoming increasingly popular in online product marketing. However, despite video being an engaging medium, online video advertising is often avoided by users. In fact, users' avoidance behavior, which impairs the effectiveness of online video advertising, has become a great concern of online marketers. This thesis, aiming to improve the effectiveness of online video advertising, explores the optimal delivery approaches of online video advertising, i.e., how to deliver online video advertising to mitigate users' avoidance tendency and increase their attention to the advertising. Two empirical studies are included in this thesis: Study One investigates the impact of advertising choice on users' curiosity towards the advertising, and Study Two focuses on the impacts of advertising type and exposure timing on advertising effectiveness.
Study One identifies the research gaps in the choice literature and proposes a new method of delivering online video advertising, i.e., choice-based advertising. An eye-tracking experiment is first conducted to validate the effectiveness of choice-based advertising in terms of increasing users' attention to the advertising. Subsequently, Study One further explores the underlying mechanism of choice-based advertising. Drawing from the literature on human curiosity, Study One proposes that choice-based advertising increases users' attention to the advertising through stimulating users' curiosity towards the advertising. Two experiments are conducted to examine the impacts of advertising choice on users' curiosity. The findings reveal an interaction impact of two factors of advertising choice (i.e., user control and information gap) on users' curiosity to the advertising.
Study Two seeks to gain more insights into the delivery approach design of online video advertising. Specifically, it focuses on the impacts of advertising type and exposure timing on advertising effectiveness. To examine the impacts of advertising type, Study Two differentiates two types of information control (i.e., approach control and avoidance control) and specifies their underlying mechanisms in affecting users' behavior and attitude. In addition, drawing from prior work on the impacts of task involvement, Study Two investigates the moderating impact of advertising exposure timing. The findings from an eye-tracking experiment reveal a joint impact of advertising type and exposure timing on users' responses towards the advertising.