Drawing on biometric and self-reported data from viewers in four countries, this study examines the bidirectional relationship between media context and advertising, offering insights into audience emotion, ad effectiveness and the unique role of sports programming. Read the full article in the Journal of Advertising Research.
Extending Media Context Effects: Bidirectional Emotional Carryover Using Galvanic Skin Response
by Ed Hunt, Research Associate and Director of the Spiegel Scholars Program; Yee Jun Ow, Graduate Student; Ewa Maslowska, Associate Professor; Larry DeGaris, Executive Director of the Medill Spiegel Research Center; and Edward C. Malthouse, Theodore R. and Annie Laurie Sills Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications, all of Northwestern University.
Abstract
This study explores a bidirectional emotional relationship between media context and advertising. Using second-by-second Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and self-reported valence data from viewers in four countries, we find that emotional responses to media influence reactions to ads, and vice versa. Specifically, higher arousal and valence during a program or ad increase arousal and valence during subsequent ads/programs, although there is an interaction where the context effect attenuates for ads later in the pod. Notably, sports programming elicits stronger emotions, highlighting its value in advertising. These results advance theory on ad-media dynamics and inform strategies for effective ad placement.