Experience the “ambience”: Testing perceptions of ambient advertising innovations between the United States and Indian consumers

Ambient advertising is a unique, intimate and non-traditional form of communication between the product and the consumer; and uses all physical and environmental elements leading to stronger customer engagement. The purpose of this paper is to explore the innovations in ambient advertising including flash mob dancing, use of structures, posters, props, bus tickets, supermarket floors, shopping carts, bank receipts, animals, and other strange and unusual venues in developed economies (e.g. the USA) vs emerging economies (e.g. India).

The research proposes relationship strength (R)-inherent drama (I)-prodigious execution (P) or R-I-P conceptual framework to measure ambient advertising and delves into the R-I-P constructs of ambient advertising.

The results of Study 1 demonstrate that consumers’ global consumption orientation positively influences their attitudes toward ambient advertising. Results from Studies 2 and 3 exhibit interesting comparisons of innovations in ambient advertising between the USA and India; which improves understanding of globalization of ambient advertising in both developed and emerging economies. Relationship strength (R) between the product and the customer strengthens ad believability in both developed and emerging economies; while inherent dramatic surprise (I) displays contrasting results for developed and emerging economies. Prodigious execution (P) results in ad irritation for developed economies while it has no impact for emerging economies.

Overall R-I-P constructs of ambient advertising strengthen brand and ad attitudes and purchase intentions. The research has strong implications for advertising innovations in the USA vis-à-vis India, and demonstrates stronger implications of advertising internationalization across developed and emerging economies.

The research is valuable in the context of emerging and developed economies of the world with respect to ambient advertising. The research explores the trends in ambient advertising and develops measures for testing perceptions of consumers in various world markets toward ambient advertising. The world economies exhibit varying levels of acceptance and appreciation to the global emerging advertising trends, and this presents a huge challenge to the companies worldwide.