The effects of desire for control and controllability on consumer attitude in online advertisements

This research examines the degree of controllability in online advertisements that would optimize their influence on users, depending on their desire for control. Eighty students enrolled in the Faculty of Communication and Behavioral Science, in Twente University, The Netherlands, participated for one course credit. The experiment had a 2 (Controllability: high vs. low) x 2 (Desirability for Control: high vs. low) between participants design. It was expected the participants were more positively influenced by high controllable ads, and that high controllable ads influence more positively people with a higher desire for control, while ads with a lower controllability influence strongly people with a lower desire for control. High controllable advertisements have not demonstrated to have more positive effects in consumer attitude. Moreover, high controllability in an ad does not always influence more positively people with a higher desire for control, as well as low controllability in an ad does not always influence more positively those with lower desire for control. However, it has been found that participants with a higher desire for control were more open to knowing the brand and exploring the ad. Moreover, it was found that when a product is not familiar to the consumer, they prefer a lower controllable version of the online advertisement. Finally, that people with a higher desire for control are more interested in forwarding the online ad to acquaintances, becoming more easily advocates of the brand