Abstract:

This paper demonstrates: 1) how newspaper visual processing data derived from eye-movement research significantly exceed both immediate ad recognition and traditional day-after recognition data in measuring the effective exposure rate of newspaper advertising; 2) how increased ad sizes increases ad processing; and 3) how ad prospect status contributes to ad processing likelihood. Evidence from this research suggests that newspaper advertising performance has been significantly underestimated and thus undervalued. Two research methods were used to study the effectiveness of advertising in Sweden’s largest morning daily newspaper, Dagens Nyheter. Data on visual advertising processing levels of Dagens Nyheter advertising by advertising size (derived from an EYE-TRACE Research study) were correlated with exit interview data assessing immediate ad recognition and prospect status and were compared to results from data on day-after ad recognition levels by advertising size derived from telephone survey research. Data from EYE- TRACR Research studies conducted at metropolitan daily newspapers in the United States and survey research conducted at Dagens Nyheter are used as support for this paper's thesis.