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The Use of Comparative Advertising for Brand Positioning: Association versus Differentiation

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  • Pechmann, Cornelia
  • Ratneshwar, S

Abstract

The explicit superiority claims in direct comparative ads should facilitate differentiation of the advertised brand from the comparison brand. However prior research suggests that such ads primarily associate brands. This problem is investigated by considering the categorization and inferential processes elicited by direct comparative ads. Results suggest that direct comparative ads can enhance a consumers' perceptions of the advertised brand by associating it with the comparison brand and simultaneously differentiate the brands by lowering consumers' perceptions of the comparison brand on the featured attribute. But both effects are contingent on the typicality of the featured attribute and the familiarity of the advertised brand. A key finding is that direct comparative ads are most effective for both unfamiliar and familiar advertised brands when the featured attribute is typical of the category. Copyright 1991 by the University of Chicago.

Suggested Citation

  • Pechmann, Cornelia & Ratneshwar, S, 1991. "The Use of Comparative Advertising for Brand Positioning: Association versus Differentiation," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 18(2), pages 145-160, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:18:y:1991:i:2:p:145-60
    DOI: 10.1086/209248
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    Cited by:

    1. F. Barigozzi & M. Peitz, 2004. "Comparative Advertising and Competition Policy," Working Papers 524, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    2. Francesca Barigozzi & Paolo G. Garella & Martin Peitz, 2009. "With a Little Help from My Enemy: Comparative Advertising as a Signal of Quality," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 1071-1094, December.
    3. Banerjee, Bibek & Chakrabarty Patrali, 2010. "An Eye for an Eye: Impact of Sequelization and Comparison in Advertisements on Consumer’s Perception of Brands," IIMA Working Papers WP2010-08-01, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    4. Ricardo Paredes M, 2004. "Fundamentos Para La Regulacion De La Publicidad Comparativa," Abante, Escuela de Administracion. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 7(1), pages 67-102.
    5. Easley, Richard W. & Bearden, William O. & Teel, Jesse E., 1995. "Testing predictions derived from inoculation theory and the effectiveness of self-disclosure communications strategies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 93-105, October.
    6. Pillai, Kishore Gopalakrishna & Goldsmith, Ronald E., 2008. "How brand attribute typicality and consumer commitment moderate the influence of comparative advertising," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(9), pages 933-941, September.
    7. Gupta, Suraksha & Czinkota, Michael & Melewar, T.C., 2013. "Embedding knowledge and value of a brand into sustainability for differentiation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 287-296.
    8. Dieter K. Tscheulin & Bernd Helmig, 1999. "Zur Effizienz verschiedener Ausgestaltungsformen vergleichender Werbung — Internationale Rechtslage, „State-of-the-art” und Ergebnisse einer empirischen Studie," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 550-578, June.
    9. Maria Alipranti & Evangelos Mitrokostas & Emmanuel Petrakis, 2013. "Comparative versus Informative Advertising in Oligopolistic Markets," Working Papers 1301, University of Crete, Department of Economics.
    10. Silvia Ranfagni & Matilde Milanesi & Simone Guercini, 2023. "An online research approach for a dual perspective analysis of brand associations in art museums," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 20(1), pages 149-167, March.
    11. Matthew Krawczyk & Zheng Xiang, 2016. "Perceptual mapping of hotel brands using online reviews: a text analytics approach," Information Technology & Tourism, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 23-43, March.
    12. Pierro, Antonio & Giacomantonio, Mauro & Pica, Gennaro & Mannetti, Lucia & Kruglanski, Arie W. & Tory Higgins, E., 2013. "When comparative ads are more effective: Fit with audience’s regulatory mode," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 90-103.
    13. Siddharth Bhattacharya & Jing Gong & Sunil Wattal, 2022. "Competitive Poaching in Search Advertising: Two Randomized Field Experiments," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 599-619, June.
    14. Jewell, Robert D. & Saenger, Christina, 2014. "Associative and dissociative comparative advertising strategies in broadening brand positioning," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(7), pages 1559-1566.
    15. Getúlio Alves de Souza Matos & Robert Aldo Iquiapaza & Bruno Pérez Ferreira, 2014. "Analysis of the Exposure to Losses of Brazilian ETFs According to the Value at Risk (VAR) and Expected Shortfall (ES) Market Risk Assessment Techniques," Brazilian Business Review, Fucape Business School, vol. 11(4), pages 84-106, August.
    16. O'Donoghue, Amie C. & Williams, Pamela A. & Sullivan, Helen W. & Boudewyns, Vanessa & Squire, Claudia & Willoughby, Jessica Fitts, 2014. "Effects of comparative claims in prescription drug direct-to-consumer advertising on consumer perceptions and recall," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 1-11.
    17. Punj, Girish & Moon, Junyean, 2002. "Positioning options for achieving brand association: a psychological categorization framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(4), pages 275-283, April.
    18. Bambauer-Sachse, Silke & Heinzle, Priska, 2018. "Comparative advertising: Effects of concreteness and claim substantiation through reactance and activation on purchase intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 233-242.
    19. Bambauer-Sachse, Silke & Heinzle, Priska, 2018. "Comparative advertising for goods versus services: Effects of different types of product attributes through consumer reactance and activation on consumer response," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 82-90.
    20. Jeon, Jung Ok & Beatty, Sharon E., 2002. "Comparative advertising effectiveness in different national cultures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(11), pages 907-913, November.
    21. Valter Afonso Vieria & Luis Fernando Camilo, 2014. "An Analysis of the Effects of Promotion and Shelf Position on Store Revenue," Brazilian Business Review, Fucape Business School, vol. 11(4), pages 28-52, August.

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