Implicit contrast and explicit assimilation effects following subtle and blatant advertisings.

This study investigated the different effectiveness of subtle and blatant advertising on implicit and explicit attitudes. We hypothesized that the same commercial message could change both explicit and implicit attitudes toward the advertised brand, and that explicit changes would last longer than implicit ones. Sixty-two undergraduate psychology students were involved in the study for no reward. Participants were chosen according to their preference for one of two major competing brands of cola. We used a mixed factorial design, manipulating between subjects the type of advertisement that participants watched (subtle, blatant, control) and within subjects the time when measures of implicit and explicit attitudes were taken. The study followed a pre- post-test design with a follow-up (third session) after 48 hours. Results partially supported our hypotheses. At the explicit level, subtle advertising was assimilated, while blatant advertising had no effect. Explicit assimilation even increased after 48 hours. At the implicit level, blatant advertising produced a short-term contrast effect, while subtle advertising had no effect.