RECALL BY YOUNG-PEOPLE OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS AS A FUNCTION OF PROGRAM TYPE AND AUDIENCE EVALUATION

This study examined the effects of programme content and programme eva luation by young viewers upon their recall of advertisements placed in a central break within the programme. A sample of 66 adolescents took part in what was described to them as a programme evaluation study. S ubjects were randomly allocated to three groups ensuring that there we re approximately equal numbers of boys and girls per group and watched one of three half-hour television programmes: a drama series episode, a situation comedy, and an evening news bulletin. A common sequence o f seven advertisements occurred in a natural break at the half-way poi nt of each programme. After watching a programme, subjects gave it qua litative ratings along 39 7-point bipolar adjectival scales and replie d to 27 attitude statements about television advertising before being tested without prior warning for free and cued recall of the advertise ments. No significant effects upon free recall of advertising content emerged as a function of programme watched, but an effect was observed upon cued recall. Cued recall of advertising content was significantl y better from the situation comedy than from the drama episode. In add ition, programme evaluations were significantly related to recall of a dvertising content. Greater involvement and perceived contemporaneity were associated with better free recall of advertising, and greater af fective involvement in and less liking and appeal of programme content were associated with better cued recall.