Can ValueFlow predict likeability of a commercial? An investigation of moment-to-moment affective reactions and the relation to marketing metrics

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of moment-to-moment affective experiences of a commercial into an overall evaluation. The company Validators has developed a moment-to-moment measurement tool, called ValueFlow, in which during the course of a commercial a person indicates their positive or negative affect to obtain insight into the dynamic structures of an television advert. The focus of the study is whether certain parts or key elements based on the psychological heuristic ‘peak-end rule’, have more influence in creating a well-liked commercial. Also, an explorative study was conducted to investigate to which extent the moment-to-moment affective experiences transfer to other well-known marketing metrics and how ValueFlow compares to overall commercial liking. Contradictory to existing literature, results of the study show no evidence for an effect of the peak-end rule. The moment-to-moment affective reactions show strong relationships with brand liking, call-to-action and branding. For the moment-to-moment affective experiences, a comparable transfer was found as overall ad liking, indicating further validation of the use of ValueFlow as a valid marketing measurement tool.