Message exposure with friends: The role of social context on attitudes toward prominently placed brands

Abstract

ABSTRACTConsumers usually experience product placements in the presence of others, such as watching a movie or television show together. In this study, the role of social context on attitudes toward prominently placed brands is explored. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze data from 382 participants who watched a sitcom episode in dyads, with a friend or with someone they did not know. Additionally, dyads were allowed to interact during the viewing or required to remain passive. Attitudes toward product placements were more favorable when coviewing with friends than with strangers, but only toward a high intensity plot placement. No attitude differences emerged between interactive and passive viewing, suggesting that talking while viewing does not distract viewers to the extent that it impacts attitudes. No significant differences in attitudes emerged between the friend‐interactive experimental condition and the other conditions. However, a significant difference in brand attitudes between friends and strangers emerged within the passive viewing context for a high intensity plot placement. Implications are such that chatting with a friend while watching product placements was no different from chatting with a stranger, but when watching silently, the presence of a friend improved brand attitudes compared to the presence of a stranger for high intensity plot placements. This is the first known study to investigate social context effects on attitudes toward product placements, the results of which are important to brand strategy. Brands with high intensity plot placements should encourage consumers to view with friends. Other managerial implications and limitations are discussed.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.