OBSERVATIONS: Comparative Advertising in Magazines: Nature, Frequency, and a Test of the "Underdog" Hypothesis

A study of comparative advertising in magazines. Hypotheses tested were: a) that the intensity of comparative advertising varies with the life cycle of the product; b) comparative advertising may be counterproductive, especially when used by the leading brand.

OBSERVATIONS: Comparative Advertising in Magazines: Nature, Frequency and a Test of the 'Underdog' Hypothesis

Tahi J Gnepa California State University, Stanislaus

In a political context when a candidate compares his or her record with that of his or her opponent while stressing its weaknesses, it is known as negative advertising. Similar references to competition in the marketplace are known as comparative advertising. Despite the threat of costly legal challenges (Buchanan, 1985; Buchanan and Smithies, 1989), comparative advertising has grown more acceptable. This growth owes to the FTC's encouragement of the practice in 1971 and to the belief that comparative...

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