Abstract Through the use of Federal Trade Commission recommended corrective message copy, alternative television advertisements were analyzed experimentally to determine if message content format influences the effects of corrective advertising. Results indicate that a corrective advertisement in which persuasive (and accurate) product claims are followed by corrective copy is superior in altering erroneous product performance beliefs. A corrective message using a format of this type resulted in consumers' holding more accurate beliefs about the medicinal capabilities of Listerine mouthwash. Further, decrements to the image of the brand and the firm were minimized with this message format.