Investigating the Direct Effects of Banner Blindness on Purchasing Decisions

Abstract

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of online advertising on direct purchases through an example of banner advertising and to explore and further develop the methodology used, to make it more widely applicable.

METHODOLOGY

The research was carried out using eye-tracking technology, which explores the relationship between brand sympathy, online advertising, Internet-related attitudes and the online advertisements effect on shopping, through a questionnaire and a short personal interview.

MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS

The methodology used has proven itself implementable in measuring the impact of different advertising devices on direct, immediate purchases. The results show the participants can recall the content of the seen advertisements. So the experiment confirms that the advertisement can reach the perception threshold and increase brand awareness even if the users ignore them in some sort (conscious or half-conscious) because of the banner blindness phenomena. Moreover, the degree of attention (number and length of fixations) paid to the advertisement is positively correlated with the advertised product’s brand sympathy only in some peculiar cases. On the other hand, the relationship between direct product selection and the appearance of advertisement was not statistically verifiable, but the results indicate that, by improving the methodology and increasing the sample size, the deviation is likely to be significant. It can also be stated that in this sample it was statistically justifiable that the more annoyed the participant was because of the presence of the advertisement, the less he thought himself a conscious internet user.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Marketing is constantly evolving due to the development of mobile devices and the underlying technology’s penetration, and therefore the investigation of the direct impact of advertisements is important for a deeper understanding of online consumer behavior, therefore the methodology used and the results that can be obtained by it can become quite important in the future of advertising market.

As a result of the proliferation of mobile and online technologies, marketing is undergoing a continuous transformation. This is the reason why studying the direct, immediate effects of advertisements are essential for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of online consumer behavior. The methodology used separates the online advertising effect from the other variables which are affecting the purchases. Consequently the results which can be obtained by it can provide important insight into the future of advertising market.