‘High energy TV ads can turn off viewers’

Energetic TV ads can turn off viewers depending on when they are shown, according to research from the University of Oxford.

The report highlights that TV commercials with a high-energy feel, for example featuring upbeat or enthusiastic people, can have less of an impact when placed during serious TV dramas.

During downbeat programming, viewers find it hard to process upbeat TV commercials leading to shorter viewing times and lower brand recall.

In response the research recommends that advertisers consider how the emotion of programming interacts with the energy level of their commercial.

“With the huge investment and expectations that companies seek through TV and online advertising, a slightly different approach could radically change the impact on the consumer,” explains Nancy Puccinelli, associate professor of marketing at Said Business School.

High-energy commercials are now the norm in advertising, according to the research. The analysis, which monitored commercials on Hulu, an American ad supported television-streaming site, found that over 80% of the commercials embedded during programming were seen to be ‘energetic’.

The research was based on six studies with 900 people, who were monitored while viewing ads.

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