Television Advertising and Online Word-of-Mouth: An Empirical Investigation of Social TV Activity

In this research, we investigate how television advertising drives online word-of-mouth (WOM). We first explore if television advertising (1) affects online WOM about the brand advertised and (2) associates with changes in online WOM about the program in which the advertisement airs. We further examine if the media context in which the advertisement appears – the television program – impacts the relationship between television advertising and online WOM. By investigating the integration of consumer social media participation with television programming, known as social TV, we aim to improve the field’s understanding of the consumer experience with television, advertising, and social media. Using data containing television advertising instances and the volume of minute-by-minute social media mentions, our analyses reveal that television advertising impacts online WOM for both the brand advertised and the program in which the advertisement airs. We additionally find that the programs that receive the most online WOM aren’t necessarily the best programs for advertisers in terms of online engagement. These results suggest the need for social TV activity to be viewed in terms of viewer engagement with both programs and advertisements. Moreover, the results indicate that the program in which the advertisement airs affects the extent of online WOM for both the brand and program following television advertising. Overall, this research sheds light on how marketers, television networks, and program creators can (1) increase online WOM for their respective brands and programs through media planning and advertisement design strategies and (2) incorporate online WOM into the media planning and buying process.