A Study on Applicative Conditions of the Consitency Theory and Attributional Theory Projected on the Korean TV Commercials.

Shin, Mi-Kyung (Major in PR & Advertising Graduate School of Mass Communication Chung-Ang University)

To know how the 2 theories, Consistency theory and Attributional theory, which are among the persuasive models are working in the Korean TV commercials, the following questions were suggested in this study.

Questions :

1. Are the two theories, Consistency theory and Attribution theory applied in TV advertisements ?

2. What do the TV advertisements, to which the 2 theories are applied, look like while the advertising volume keep changing ?

3. What do the TV advertisements, to which the 2 theories are applied, look like as new products are coming out ?

In order to clarify the above-mentioned questions, I employed compositive reliability coefficient index between analysts making 390 TVCs from 13 industry categories which are aired for the year of 1991 as analysis targets in the study. I concluded as followings using X? for statistic proof.

The result of study on the Question #1

The assumption that "the two theories, Consistency theory and Attribution theory are applied in TV advertisements" are proved.

Consistency theory and Attribution theory are applied in TV Commercials in Korea.

I found the fact that the applied rate former theory took 11.3% and the latter 12.1% of the total analysis targets (The two Theories total to 23.4% )as the result of study on applicability of the 2 theories to TV commercials. Also I notified 11 cases of mate category, 20 cases of female category, 3 cases of body male & female category and 4 cases of others in the Consistency theory and 47 cases in the Attribution theory in terms of the sexual model. The cases other than the 2 theories are 1 case of mate, another case of female and 297 cases of the others.

Also the result of study on the applicability form of the 2 models by industry type shows that they differ from on another according to their industry type such as foods, drugs, cosmetics, detergents, publications, clothes, ordinary industry machinaries, precise business stationary, electronics & electronics, home appliance, construction, building, real estate, distribution, finance, securities.

1. The limitation which content analysis has. The generalization of the analysis result into the total advertisement has some weak points.

2. The problem is degree of conciseness of categorizing in the process of analysis, I.E. The subjective decision is likely to damage objective analysis process.

3. The limitation of not accompanying qualitative study having TV-CM as analysts target. There is qualitative limitation because the study employed only simple categorization of theories and researched the models through some variances related to them.

My suggestion on the matter of applicability of persuasive theory into advertising is :

In this hard time when advertising expression comes across its big limitation because of consumer's various need, more studies and attentions on persuasive theory are extremely needed.