The Risk of Collateral Damage in Advertising Campaigns

Authors: Crosier, Keith; Hernandez, Tony; Mohabir-Collins, Sandra; Erdogan, Zafer B.

Source: Journal of Marketing Management, Volume 15, Number 8, November 1999 , pp. 837-855(19)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

It is argued, on the basis of first principles and a case example, that 'leakage' of advertising messages beyond the target audience can generate negative reactions when 'activists' in an accidentally addressed 'meta-audience' exert 'social pressure' on the advertiser's 'micro and macro-audiences', inflicting 'collateral damage' on the advertiser in various ways. Examination of published data from industry sources shows that activists are a small sub-set of the meta-audience, but it is argued that their potential to reduce the long-term advertising effectiveness of some advertising campaigns is an issue for advertising managers and planners. Analysis of hitherto unpublished data yields a profile of one type of activist: those who complained about television advertising between 1996 and 1998. They belong to homogeneous social sub-groups that are geographically and demographically distinct from the general population, not least in conforming to the notorious north-south divide in Britain. It is proposed that this first-ever research-based profile of complainants offers a factual basis on which prudent advertising planners can predict the risk of collateral damage, and plan to minimise it by avoiding pre-disposing creative tactics or media schedules.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1362/026725799784772701

Publication date: 1999-11-01

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