When using comparative advertising, we prefer not to have the shopper imagine using the product. Visualizing takes mental energy away from intellectually analyzing the comparison, thereby making the comparative ad less effective.
However, in other sorts of advertising, we’d like the consumer to imagine usage, since this increases the probability of purchase. Research findings scheduled for publication in next April’s Journal of Consumer Research provide a simple suggestion for increasing the ease with which people can engage in this mental imagery: Show the product oriented toward the person’s dominant hand. Since most people are right-handed, this would mean an orientation toward the right in most cases. The advice influences not only pictures in ads, but also displays in stores and demonstrations by salespeople.
The researchers, from Brigham Young University and University of Michigan, prepared for their study by creating ads which oriented to the right or the left parts of the illustration most directly related to usage. This included handles on mugs and the placement of forks and spoons. When the orientation was to the right for a product people otherwise liked, the motivation to possess the product became even greater.
Notice that this means the more effective ad is showing a mirror image of the setup for a right-handed person to use the product. The consumer is looking at the ad, so what would be closest to the consumer’s right hand will have been to the left of a person whose image faces us in the ad. Again, because most people are right-handed, a natural tendency would be to orient photo setups the other way around. The research findings indicate this detracts from the motivational power of the ad.
For an appreciation of how this applies to in-store demonstrations of a product, you need only think of how confusing it can be when the dance teacher or exercise coach faces you in teaching a new move. The instructor might turn her back to you for the demonstration so that when she lifts her right arm, you know to lift your right arm, not your left arm. If facing you, the instructor does best to lift her left arm while giving you verbal instructions to lift your right arm.
When you or your salesperson faces the customer while demonstrating usage of a product with the intent of having the shopper imagine usage, left becomes right while right becomes left.
Click below for more:
Help Shoppers Use Their Imagination
In Comparative Ads, Don't Show Users
Relax Caution About Comparative Imagining
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