The effects of mood on memory of advertising claims and advertising evaluation in attribute versus benefit focused advertisements: Within the accommodative and assimilative processing framework

This study examines the joint effects of moods and stylistics of message presentations on cognitive processing styles. Specifically, the study examines the assumption that a negative mood triggers accommodative processing, whereas a positive mood triggers assimilative processing. Accommodative processing is a process of conserving with detail elaboration of stimulus facts. In contrast, assimilative processing is a process of incorporating external information with previously learned knowledge (Fiedler, et al., 2003). In addition to mood effects, this study examines two types of advertisements, namely attribute vs. benefit focused advertisements. In the attribute focused advertisement, the advertising claims emphasize logic, causality, reason and accuracy; these structural elements presume to invite an accommodative processing (Mandler, 1977; McDaniel et al., 1986). In the benefit focused advertisement, the advertising claims emphasize the benefits of the relationship between attributes and different types of occasions and situations; these structural elements encourage an assimilative processing (handler, 1977; McDaniel et al., 1986). Two experiments were conducted. The findings show that recall of advertising claims is higher when both types of information occur (or are processed). However, recognitions and recall clustering are enhanced only when they are followed by an accommodative and an assimilative processing, respectively. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.