The Effect of Audience Attitude toward Product Placement on Product Attitude and Purchase Intention

PPL에 대한 수용자의 태도가 PPL된 제품 태도 및 구매의도에 미치는 영향

Purpose - This study aims to examine the effect of audience attitude toward product placement, or PPL, on product attitude and purchase intention. PPL has increasingly been prevailing in TV dramas since the revision of the Broadcasting Act in January 2010, and it is quite widespread in today's society. Therefore, this study intends to investigate how the audience would take a particular attitude toward PPL in TV dramas and how their attitude would affect their product attitude and purchase intention. Research design, data, and methodology - The sample for the current study was drawn from college students in Seoul in December 2013, as the main targets of the products and brands that were advertised by PPL are young people. The questionnaire for this study comprised nine parts, such as the knowledge of PPL, experience of PPL, TV drama watching time, impulsive buying propensity, celebrity imitating buying propensity, attitude toward PPL, attitude toward product, purchase intention, and demographic characteristics. The questionnaire items were measured by 5-point Likert scales. Whether the demographic characteristics and propensity to consume would affect PPL attitude was analyzed and how the PPL attitude would affect purchase intention through product attitude was analyzed as well. To analyze the relationship between variables, structural equation modeling analysis was performed with Amos 18.0. Results - The major findings of the study were as follows. First, whether the demographic characteristics and propensity to consume would affect PPL attitude was analyzed, and it is found that out of the demographic characteristics, only gender and knowledge of PPL exerted an influence on PPL attitude. In addition, celebrity-imitating buying propensity had an impact on PPL attitude. Second, whether PPL attitude would affect purchase intention through product attitude was analyzed by structural equation modeling. Consequently, it is found that PPL attitude impacted purchase intention through product attitude. Conclusions - The findings of the study had the following implications. First, in theoretical aspects, previous studies have proven only that attitude toward PPL influenced attitude toward product and purchase intention separately; however, the current study has investigated the mediated role of attitudes toward PPL. Second, regarding the practical aspects, as PPL attitude exercised an effect on purchase intention as well as product attitude, PPL should be utilized in a manner to stimulate the audience to take a positive attitude to it. Finally, gender, PPL knowledge, and celebrity-imitating buying orientation were identified as influential factors for PPL attitude. Specifically, female consumers showed a lower attitude toward PPL than males, and the consumers who have no knowledge showed a lower attitude toward PPL. The consumers who have celebrity imitating buying propensity expressed a higher attitude toward PPL. These factors should consequently be taken into account when PPL is planned and conducted. The current study has limitations such as the sample object, non- experimental method, and media biases. Therefore, future research should be conducted to address these limitations.