“Research Showcase -1” Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia PhD Seminar

1. “Research Showcase -1” Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia PhD Seminar

2. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia What kind of advertising is liked in each local market? What kind of advertising is disliked in each local market? What kind of advertising should be avoided? What are the drivers of ad likeability in each local market? What advertising message is suitable for what product category and in which local market?

3. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Hypotheses relating to Ad Likeability • commercials that are liked will receive greater exposure • ads that are liked are given greater mental processing effort • by consumers (liking is a mediator) • liking is a ‘gatekeeper’ to whether or not the advertisement • will be processed at all (liking is a moderator) • liking engenders trust (source credibility) • liking the commercial translates directly to liking the brand • (emotional rub-off) • liking evokes a gratitude response. Hence consumers buy the • product as reward for creating likeable advertising • (Source: Biel and Bridgwater, 1990)

4. Biel and Bridgwater (1990) Aaker and Stayman (1990) Meaningful Informative/ believable Rubs the wrong way Irritation/silly/worn out Ingenuity Amusing/clever Energy (Lively) Warm Warm Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Relevant Study

5. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Why Asia? • Five Asian countries/cities China (Shanghai), HK*, Indonesia • (Jakarta), Thailand (Bangkok) and India (Mumbai) were selected • due to: • a diverse work-related cultural values • different religion • homogeneous set of populations • wide variations of ad spending • different stages in economic development • a potentially large market since more than 60% of the world • population live in Asia

6. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Research Objectives • to identify what attributes contribute to ad likeability • and dislikes. • 2. to identify what kind of television commercial is liked and • what kind of commercial should be avoided in each local market • to identify the drivers of ad likeability and dislikes in each • local market • to identify what advertising message is suitable (and unsuitable) • for what product category and in which local market, and • 5. to identify the positive effects of liking the advertisement.

7. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Research Questions • Given the differences in cultural dimensions between the five • countries/cities (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jakarta, Bangkok and Mumbai), what • constitutes a likeable (or disliked) television commercial • attribute and which attribute is more dominant between the • five cities? • What types and proportions of likeable (disliked) commercial • attributes are evident on the five cities’ television? • Do differences in likeable (or disliked) television commercial • attributes exist between countries/cities with a distinct religious • background?

8. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Research Questions • What product categories are associated with which likeable • (or disliked) television commercial attributes? • To what extent, if any, do factors such as consumer • confidence/stress, attitudes towards new products/brands, • attitudes towards advertising in general, total number of hours • watching television per week, and cultural outlook and • perspective contribute to the liking (or disliking) of television • commercials?

9. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Methodology • Country/City and Target Audience Selection • Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bangkok, Mumbai • Modern cities where they have access to television sets • Large working class populations • Educated and high income • Age 25-35 • Male/female ratio 100:100 (200 in total for each city) • Social class A,B, and C1 • Watch at least 5 hours of TV program a week. • Simply for Compatibility

10. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Questionnaire Design • attitudes towards new products/brands • what advertisement that comes to mind that you like, mention not more than • three times • what is or are key reason/s as to why you like this ad (many reasons) • after seeing the ad, have you ever bought/used the product/brand? If yes, • did you buy/use the product more often, less often or remain the same • describe any ad that you dislike and provide reasons for dislike • statements relating to attitudes toward advertising in general • cultural outlook and perspective • average number of hours watching television a week • questions relating to gender, age, occupation income, education and religion

11. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Sampling and Data Collection Techniques • work carried out by Lowe Advertising and NFO research company • telephone interviews were carried out by native speakers • semi-structured questions were used • data are informant driven rather than researcher driven • (respondents were free to air their views) • respondents were chosen on a ‘loose quota control’ as long as • they met the criteria ie. male or female, aged 25-35, spend more • than 5 hours per week watching tv & from social class A, B, C1.

12. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Coding Procedures – developing product categories • 2976 advertisements were mentioned • HK respondents mentioned 75 products, followed by Shanghai (67), • Bangkok (66), Mumbai (66) and Jakarta (49) • next step is to eliminate duplicate products/brands mentioned by the same • respondent in order to eliminate bias • systematically check the second and third mention against the first or second • to eliminate duplication • finally 2087 ads were ‘cleansed’ for the next step • 6 independent judges were recruited to develop the product categories • in the end there were seven product categories for each liked and disliked • television commercials segment

13. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Coding Procedures –developing attributes of liked and disliked TV commercials • 6 independent judges were involved in this phase • a total of 10,725 likeable reasons were generated • after ‘cleaning’ ie. eliminate duplicate reasons, just over 7000 (7049) reasons • were left • the 6 judges then went through the 7049 reasons and agreed to have 31 • likeable adjectives • the next phase is to binary code (1=present, 0=absent) the 7049 reasons into 31 • adjectives • established inter-judge reliability scores used in this coding procedures were • applied and achieved by this study • in the end, the 31 adjectives were ‘reduced’ to 7 manageable likeable attributes • similar procedures were performed for 931 disliked reasons, which we soon • developed into 7 disliked adjectives, and finally into 1 disliked attribute

14. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Results What commercials do people like?

15. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Product Category Service: banks, finance companies, insurance, supermarkets, mobile phone systems. Durables: automobiles, tv, fax, jewelry, watches, mobile phone, computers, refrigerators, paint, window blinds, hardware. Household supplies : rice, cooking oils, milk powder, toys, detergents, glues, films, magazines. Personal care: cosmetics, facial tissue, skin care, sanitary products, face cream, band aids, toiletries, lipsticks, medicine. Drinks: coffee, tea, juice, distilled water, soft drinks, energy drinks. Foods: biscuits, candies, fast foods, snacks, chocolates, café, noodles. Addictive products: beer, wine, rice wine, cigarette.

16. Table 1: Frequencies of Liked Product Categories coded by City – Total Five Cities N=2087 Note: * Cigarette advertising is allowed only in Jakarta and there were no beer/wine ads identified by Muslim Indonesia during the survey period. HK = Hong Kong, SH = Shanghai, JA = Jakarta, BK = Bangkok, MB = Mumbai. 2 Values = 530.879, df = 24, p<0.01

17. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Results How people describe television commercials?

18. Table 2: Frequencies of Ad Likeability Attributes in each City – A Comparison Note: * = p<0.05; ** p<0.01; Percentages may not total 100 percent because of rounding.

19. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Table 3Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations • HK SH JA BK MB • Trendy/Modern/Stylish • - elegant/classical/youth 1 2 1 1 1 • modern/high-tech 3 3 3 3 2 • stylish 2 1 2 2 3 • Status Appeal • foreign status appeal 3 3 2 3 3 • celebrity endorsements 1 1 1 1 1 • charismatic appeal 2 2 3 2 2 • Strong/Distinctive/Sexy • beauty 2 1 1 1 1 • masculine 3 3 3 3 3 • unique/special/original 1 2 2 2 2 • HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

20. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Table 4 Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations • HK SH JA BK MB • Soft Sell • - emotion 2 2 2 2 2 • - innocence of children 3 3 4 4 4 • - adorable/cute 1 1 1 1 1 • - patriotism 4 4 3 3 3 • Entertaining • - Interesting 1 2 1 3 1 • amusing 2 5 2 4 2 • funny 3 3 3 1 4 • creative/clever 4 1 4 2 5 • exciting 9 6 5 6 6 • lively 8 4 6 5 3 • unreal/exaggerating 6 7 7 7 7 • silly/weird/surprising 5 9 8 8 8 • fantasy 7 8 9 9 9

21. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia • Table 5 Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations • HK SH JA BK MB • Relevant to Me • simple/clear/relevant 1 1 1 1 1 • meaningful/believable 2 2 4 2 4 • effective 3 3 2 3 2 • informative 4 4 3 4 3 • Warmth • affection 2 2 5 3 5 • happy/comfort 1 1 1 2 1 • well-done/appreciation 3 4 2 1 3 • colourful/naturalness 5 3 4 5 4 • refreshing 4 5 3 4 2 • HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

22. Table 6: Summary of Likeable Attributes across Products Categories

23. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Results Product categories and likeable attributes

24. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 7 - Service Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 6 2 6 7 6 Status Appeal 7 7 7 6 7 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 3 5 3 5 5 Soft Sell 5 3 4 2 4 Entertaining 1 1 1 1 1 Relevant to Me 4 4 5 4 2 Warmth 2 6 2 3 3 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

25. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 8 - Durable Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 5 5 6 6 6 Status Appeal 6 7 7 7 7 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 2 4 2 5 5 Soft Sell 4 3 5 3 4 Entertaining 3 6 1 1 1 Relevant to Me 7 2 4 2 2 Warmth 1 1 3 4 3 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

26. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 9 - Household Supplies Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 7 7 6 7 6 Status Appeal 5 6 7 6 7 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 3 5 5 5 4 Soft Sell 4 4 2 3 5 Entertaining 1 1 1 1 1 Relevant to Me 6 3 4 4 2 Warmth 2 2 3 2 3 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

27. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 10 - Personal Care Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 7 6 6 6 7 Status Appeal 6 7 7 7 6 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 1 4 4 5 5 Soft Sell 5 3 3 1 4 Entertaining 2 5 1 4 1 Relevant to Me 4 1 5 3 2 Warmth 3 2 2 2 3 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

28. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 11 - Drinks Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 6 7 6 7 7 Status Appeal 7 6 7 5 4 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 3 3 5 3 5 Soft Sell 4 4 3 4 3 Entertaining 1 1 1 1 1 Relevant to Me 5 5 4 6 6 Warmth 2 2 2 2 2 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

29. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 12 - Food Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 6 6 6 6 7 Status Appeal 7 7 7 7 6 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 4 5 5 5 5 Soft Sell 3 1 3 3 2 Entertaining 1 2 1 1 1 Relevant to Me 5 3 4 4 3 Warmth 2 4 2 2 4 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai

30. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Breakdown of Likeable Attributes with Product Categories across Five Cities Table 13 - Addictive Products Category Ranking based on frequencies of Nominations HK SH JA BK MB Trendy/Modern/Stylish 6 5 6 6 4 Status Appeal 2 7 7 7 0 Strong/Distinctive/Sexy 3 6 3 2 0 Soft Sell 5 4 4 4 0 Entertaining 1 1 1 1 1 Relevant to Me 7 3 5 5 3 Warmth 4 2 2 3 2 HK=Hong Kong, SH=Shanghai, JA=Jakarta, BK=Bangkok, MB=Mumbai, 0 = no nomination

31. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Results Ad likeability and Likelihood of Purchase/Try

32. Table 14: After seeing the commercial, does it make you want to buy? Note: Variation in frequency counts between Tables 2 and 3 are due to missing value. # = 2value is significant at 0.01 level, * = 2value is significant at 0.05 level.

33. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Results Reasons for disliking the commercials?

34. Table 15: Reasons for Disliking the Commercials (net number of mentions)

35. Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia Discussion • Beyond Entertaining – The liked attributes are uniquely Asians • for example: • - soft sell • - strong/distinctive/sexy • - trendy/modernity/stylish • - status appeal • Reasons include: • Culture and religion • Level of economic developments • and etc

36. HONG KONG CONTEXT - LIFE IN THE CITY • Hearts and Minds • Make money quickly (status conscious, and pressures of cost of living) / materialistic. • Embrace innovation & novelty – stimulates / refreshes. But adopt, rather than create. • Time poor / limited attention spans / fads / short life cycles. • Complex relationships: not that close or warm / feeling that civilization is quite superficial, true feelings are hidden. • Snobbish / selfish / anxious / nervous. • The dynamic in 2002 • Pace of life is too fast. • Too much negative news – creates anger. • All about pressure. • Reality is too tragic / too dull. • Downtime spent relaxing (attempting to) – don’t want to think too much / avoiding stress / dreaming. • Absence of religion / sought only when they have troubles or fearful of evil spirits. • What makes them happy • Money! If business is good / win Mark 6. • If the weather is good. • If I don’t have to work. • If health of the family is good.

37. SHANGHAI CONTEXT - LIFE IN THE CITY • The dynamic in 2002 • Overworked, don’t feel properly compensated for what I give / want more time for myself to pursue hobbies or spend time with friends and family. • Large; crowded; poor air quality; rushed; expensive; pressured. • International and cosmopolitan, but still backward – people are cold/indifferent; rude and vulgar; treat the environment badly. • Life dull/repetitive – just move between home and company. • Not a good place to take residence or retire, but good to work. Paid a cost for rapid development. “Bitterness behind sweetness”. • Hearts and Minds • Proud – former glory and prosperity of city. • Shrewd, particularly from a financial perspective. • Adventurous…try new things, would like to travel more. • Less aggressive than some other cities, but focused in taking small steps to achieve long term goals. • Recognizant of limits Chinese education places on individual creativity and thinking. • Increasingly open – to new ideas / foreign influence / traditional religion – Buddhism. • What makes them happy • Improve living standard – make money. • Health / Personal well being. • Have a meaningful life. • Have fun…at least some everyday.

38. JAKARTA CONTEXT - LIFE IN THE CITY • The dynamic in 2002 • Money is now number 1, and people are easily influenced / bribed (Tommy Suharto case). • We’re in a multi-dimensional crisis; economic, religious and moral crisis. • It’s scary / we’re friendly people but now we fight each other - ethnic and family violence. • People are more free than 5 years ago – they do whatever they want. • Kids age quicker / parents have less time to spend looking after them. Eastern culture fading. • Extremes – rich getting richer, poor getting poorer. • Our helpful characteristic is not as strong - people pretend to not notice each other’s problems. • Hearts and Minds, and what is important • Unity in diversity – 26 provinces appear as 1. We traditionally value co-operating and working together. • We’re easily influenced in a social and political way – it’s part function of the social gap these days. • Religious values more flexible – better understanding, previously oppressive. / Religion is our guide. We have nothing else but this. Indonesia’s future depends on God. Need to return to this as morals are not holding.

39. BANGKOK CONTEXT - LIFE IN THE CITY • What’s important • The future – need to lay a foundation, wouldn’t want children to struggle / Pursue better quality of life. • To own my own business – don’t want to be an employee forever / get out what I put in / personal success. • Relative importance of family – want a warm family. Wouldn’t put parents in old people’s home. • Religion – about letting go, accepting things the way they are / don’t think too much because you can’t change it, it’s about karma. • Hearts and Minds • Good natured, placid, kind hearted. Land of smiles (although less to smile about these days). • Religion holds our hearts – like our guide as to how to live / pulls us together / we all know this – it is a part of us from early age / when troubled we go to the temple. • National pride. Importance of the King – can’t belittle or demean this…shining example / very proud / best King in world. • Respect – evident in our language and the way we address elders. • More nervous and frightened than up-country people / they know their neighbours. • The dynamic in 2002 • Emphasis on convenience. Race against time. • Economy: still so much uncertainty – people with degrees can’t get jobs. • Too materialistic / children don’t know value of things, don’t know themselves. • Can’t rely on others / too competitive / each to himself. • Renewed focus on religion – confidence shaken by fakes.

40. MUMBAI CONTEXT - LIFE IN THE CITY • The dynamic in 2002 • Rising cost, and standard, of living – can’t even afford to raise one child. • Tension and pressure: financial; commuting time; sheer heat in Bombay; competition; choices. • Less socialisation than in past. • Day to day routine is very boring / structured. • Hearts and Minds • Marriage incredibly important (more, even, than marrying the right person. 96% arranged). • Less satisfied than parents’ generation despite having more; too many choices… “spend your life running after money to buy things to make life easier”. • Respect everybody. • Love of family until the end, elders consulted about everything - provide guidance. Strong family values and moral support. • What’s important / what makes them happy • Family / Appreciating relationships / Caring and sharing. • Religion and celebrating festivals…punctuates life. • Making others happy / helping others / thinking of others, so you are happy via their appreciation. • Having enough money / not having to commute (2-3 hrs).

41. Conclusion Is Culture the Root of all Consumptions? “Culture is the root of all consumptions”. The underlying theory is that whatever we consume is dependent on our cultural values. For instance what we eat, how much we eat, where we eat, when we eat, or what we like to read and watch, whom we want to associate with and how we want to be seen and etc. have much to do with culture. So unless we take care of the local culture such as traditions and customs, values and religions, there won’t be any cultural fit and hence rendering any commercials ineffective. (Source: K. S. Fam, 2002, p. 115 – ‘Attributes of Likeable Television Commercials in Asia’, A Research Report for Lowe Advertising (HK) Ltd.)