False recall of brands in advergames: a cross-country comparison

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to answer whether there is a difference between retrieving memory by using recall or false recall of brands in an interactive and imagery-rich environment such as advergaming, and there are differences in memory in the same context if the languages of proficiency are based on the same script (e.g. alphabetic/alphabetic such as Spanish/English) versus cross-script (e.g. logographic/alphabetic, such as Chinese/English).

Design/methodology/approach

A series of international experiments addressed memory of brand placements in advergames – via correct and false recall – across groups of bilinguals from China, Mexico and South Korea.

Findings

The most salient finding of this study revealed advergame interactivity increased false memory more pronouncedly in the proficient groups (“experts”), supporting the notion of increased false recall as a result of feelings of accountability that experts naturally experience.

Research limitations/implications

The procedures of the international experiments were susceptible to some limitations concerning sampling design and experimental stimuli. Despite its limitations, this study helps to uncover the effect of these elements in short-term brand memory, to guide marketers for an effective use of brand and product placements in advergames.

Originality/value

Analysis of both correct and false recall of bilinguals in imagery-rich environments is of utmost importance. In these environments, memory may originate from experience or from imagination. The study addressed brand memory among diverse Internet audiences by taking into account both correct memory scores as well as false memory scores within the advergaming context.

Citation

Hernandez, M.D. and Minor, M.S. (2015), "False recall of brands in advergames: a cross-country comparison", Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 54-69. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-11-2013-0075