ADVERTISINGS IMPACT ON CATEGORY SUBSTITUTION

The usage frequency of a mature brand can be increased by encouraging consumers to substitute it in situations for which it is not normally used. They are most likely to do so if they perceive the target brand as neither too similar to nor dissimilar from the product it is replac ing. In study 1, the author shows that ads are most likely to change u sage attitudes by either (1) advertising common attributes when the co mparison product is dissimilar or (2) advertising distinct attributes when the comparison product is similar. In study 2, replicating the de sign of study 1, the author demonstrates that ads that have a positive impact on usage attitudes toward the target brand can have a correspo nding negative impact on usage attitudes toward the comparison product . Hence, the effectiveness of an expansion advertising campaign depend s on its positive impact on the target brand and its negative impact o n the comparison product.