Role of Motivating Wants in a Hierarchical Network Model for Advertising

Abstract

The impact of advertising on the association between consumer needs, attributes and brands is investigated using a hierarchical network model. Needs are operationalized as motivating wants that describe the current state of an individual, different from the desired state for which the attributes and brands are valued. We propose and test the presence of a hierarchical memory structure linking motivating wants with attributes and brands, and show that advertising effectiveness increases when the advertising message taps into an individual's pre-existing motivating wants. Understanding the cognitive associations between motivating wants and brand attributes can help marketers design more effective communications.