Webpage background and viewer attitudes

In expectation of the expanded use of full-motion commercials on the web to promote goods and services, this study examined the influence of webpage background on commercial effectiveness. More specifically, the research examined what type of background is most appropriate for positively affecting advertising effectiveness as measured by several common attitude measures: attitude-toward-the-ad, attitude-toward-the-brand, attention-to-the-commercial, and purchase intention. The findings of an experiment suggest that simpler webpage backgrounds are more effective than more complex ones. In addition, this research introduces the concept of attitude toward a website (A(ws)) and shows how it can play an important role in the advertising hierarchy-of-effects.