The role of varying information quantity in ads on immediate and enduring cross-media synergies

Advertisers are increasingly incorporating online and offline media in their marketing communication plans to leverage synergies across them. However, if there are no differences in modality, it is unclear if mixed online-offline media usage can lead to cross-media synergies. The author draws from research on priming and two-factor theory of repetition to argue that varying information quantity on ads in different media leads to differences in ad processing at initial exposures, which impacts how information-processing capacity is allocated on retrieval vs. encoding activities on later exposures. This research compares the effect of combined online-offline media usage [Internet banner-print magazine-permission email (I-P-E) or email ad-print ad-Internet banner(E-P-I)] vs. single-media usage (I-I-I, E-E-E, and P-P-P) on aided and unaided brand information recall and brand attitude. Experimental data show that mixed-media use with increasing brand information (I-P-E) has a synergistic effect leading to significantly better immediate and delayed outcomes. Implications are drawn for media planning and media scheduling.