Involved Consumers and Advertising Involvement

The question of consumer involvement has at times taken on the appearance of a theoretical quagmire. The proliferation of definitions apart, this confusion has been exacerbated by the failure to distinguish adequately between advertising and consumer involvement. The research outlined in this article attempts to probe the possible relationship between these two discrete entities. It takes as a starting point Kassarjian's postulate of a generalised trait of purchasing involvement. This novel and as yet untested trait in consumers is cross tabulated with the levels of advertising involvement exhibited by these same consumers in a series of paint advertisements broadcast on Irish national television. A thought verbalisation methodology is employed to gauge this advertising involvment among members of an Irish countrywide consumer panel. The findings which emerge are as seminal to the applicability of such a thought verbalisation methodology as they are to the relationship between consumer and advertising involvement.