VISUAL-ATTENTION TO ADVERTISING - A SEGMENT-LEVEL ANALYSIS

We propose a methodology to study the effects of physical ad propertie s on consumers' Visual attention to advertising that accounts for hete rogeneity in these effects across consumers. In an illustrative experi ment, we monitor consumers' eye movements during naturalistic exposure to a consumer magazine, in which experimentally designed ads are inse rted. A latent class regression model accounting for heterogeneity acr oss consumers through unobserved segments is used to analyze the eye m ovement data in detail. Three consumer segments are identified that ex hibit distinct patterns of visual attention as well as different profi les of product involvement, brand attitude, and advertising recall. Im plications for visual attention theory and for advertising research ar e discussed.