Investigating the impact of coercive exposure on web-advertisement performance: Focusing on the mediating role of advertisement fit

Abstract

These days, advertisers make every effort to attract users through coercive exposure, so as to achieve web-advertisement performance. However, the validity of crediting actual performances through forced exposure is a moot point, because accompanied unwanted digressive advertisements and unintended mouse clicks imposed on the user, are nuisance factors that can culminate in a negative way. Hence, this study investigates advertisement performance in an elaborate way by focusing on varying effects of coercive exposures. Moreover, when considering advertisement performance, it is appropriate to examine advertisement fit, that is, whether the advertising contents match with services provided by the host website. The results showed that, when subjectively forced to frequent unsolicited advertisement, a user’s negative attitude to the respective advertisement greatly impacts on advertisement performance. Furthermore, if the level of advertisement fit is low, negative attitude is strengthened. This study provides guidelines on more appropriate ways for performing web advertisement, to achieve a genuine performance of advertisement and provide practical web-advertisement strategies for advertisers.