May Witjes

Testing Commercials Pre-launch: the Impact of Commercial Likeability on Short-term Brand Equity and Recall May Witjes

Is it possible to test the impact of commercial likeability on short-term brand equity and recall, and therefore test commercials pre-launch on their effectiveness? Prior research shows that it is hard to measure brand equity and recall by observing the commercial likeability, as outcomes differ significantly. A model to test commercials pre- launch is, however, still desirable as even minor refinements can have a definite impact on a campaigns effectiveness. Following traditional and tested methods, this study develops a model to pre- test commercials before being launched on television. This study further emphasizes that companies should make use of different commercial likeability. As annoying, neutral and appealing commercials all result in a different outcome, companies can choose which commercial to use depending their purpose.