Antecedents to Advertising Avoidance in China

Abstract

Advertising avoidance remains one of the most challenging elements in campaign planning. Strong commercial production values, glossy magazine advertisements and the endorsements of highly paid celebrities count for little if people simply avoid the advertising. This study builds on previous research on the topic by extending the range of psychological variables examined and assessing their influence in China, a country where advertising has a relatively short history. Survey data are collected on advertising avoidance in China. The article proposes a new passive-active framework to explain observations of avoidance behavior. The results of interviews with over 400 respondents in Shanghai indicate that general attitudes towards advertising are an important predictor of advertising avoidance in both broadcast and print media, with a more negative attitude towards advertising resulting in higher levels of advertising avoidance. The presence of others and individual time pressure are important predictors of advertising avoidance in the broadcast media.