Attitude Toward the Ad (Relevance) (ATAD-R)

Abstract

The Attitude Toward the Ad (Relevance) (ATAD-R) scale, operationalized within advertising research as a measure of personal engagement and cognitive-affective relevance, evaluates the extent to which an individual experiences an advertisement as personally meaningful, informative, and mentally evocative. Originally introduced and validated by Lawrence, Fournier, and Brunel (2013) in their investigation of consumer-generated advertising (CGA) versus company-created advertising (CCA), the instrument addresses a critical gap in traditional advertising response models. While conventional attitude-toward-the-ad (Aad) instruments focus predominantly on general hedonic valences (e.g., pleasant/unpleasant, likeable/dislikeable) or utilitarian execution quality, the ATAD-R captures self-referencing, utilitarian utility, and prospective mental simulation. The scale consists of four items administered on a 7-point Likert-type response format ranging from 1 (“Strongly disagree”) to 7 (“Strongly agree”). Psychometric evaluations demonstrate high internal consistency (Cronbach’s $\alpha ge .89$), a robust unidimensional factor structure, and strong convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity in relation to downstream variables such as brand attitude ($A_b$), purchase intention, and message diffusion. This article presents a comprehensive psychometric and theoretical analysis of the ATAD-R, detailing its psychological underpinnings, structural properties, statistical indices, and administrative protocols for marketing, consumer psychology, and communication researchers.

Keywords

Attitude Toward the Ad, Personal Relevance, Personal Engagement, Self-Referencing, Mental Simulation, Consumer-Generated Advertising, Persuasion, Advertising Effectiveness, Psychometrics, Consumer Psychology

Authors

The scale was developed and validated by a team of leading scholars in marketing, consumer behavior, and brand relationships:

• Benjamin Lawrence: Professor of Franchise Management and Marketing; recognized for empirical investigations into brand co-creation, multi-unit organizational models, and digital consumer engagement.
• Susan Fournier: Allen Questrom Professor and Dean at the Questrom School of Business, Boston University; pioneering theorist in consumer-brand relationships, brand resonance, and relational branding paradigms.
• Frédéric F. Brunel: Associate Professor of Marketing and Dean’s Research Fellow at Boston University Questrom School of Business; expert in consumer identity, visual communication, design aesthetics, and word-of-mouth dynamics.

Correspondence regarding the foundational study is anchored at the Questrom School of Business, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.

Purpose

In contemporary consumer psychology, an advertisement rarely functions merely as a passive dissemination of product attributes. Instead, persuasion hinges upon the consumer’s ability to locate themselves within the narrative of the marketing message. The primary purpose of the Attitude Toward the Ad (Relevance) (ATAD-R) scale is to quantify this subjective nexus of personal relevance, perceived informativeness, and imaginative mental projection prompted by an advertisement.

For decades, standard measures of attitude toward the ad ($A_{ad}$) relied on affective semantic differential batteries (e.g., good/bad, irritating/enjoyable, interesting/boring) introduced by theorists such as Mitchell and Olson (1981) or MacKenzie, Lutz, and Belch (1986). While these instruments capture hedonic enjoyment or aesthetic appreciation, they frequently fail to explain why an ad that is evaluated as amusing or visually appealing fails to generate behavioral intent or meaningful brand attachment. The ATAD-R was devised specifically to measure personal engagement—a state wherein the viewer transitions from an external, passive observer of advertising creative execution to an active participant who contextualizes the brand within their own life space.

The instrument was initially formulated to address the psychological mechanisms underlying consumer-generated advertising (CGA). In digital ecosystems where non-professional consumers produce video ads for existing brands (e.g., viral contests, social media testimonials), receivers encounter executions characterized by raw authenticity, idiosyncratic humor, or unconventional narratives. Lawrence et al. (2013) required a metric capable of distinguishing whether consumer-generated executions resonated more deeply than polished, agency-crafted company-created ads. The ATAD-R measures whether the consumer perceives the communication as informative, self-meaningful, and capable of catalyzing prospective consumption imagery.

In research contexts, the scale is employed to evaluate advertising copy testing, digital content strategies, native advertising, influencer marketing campaigns, and algorithmic personalization. In commercial and clinical communication settings (such as public health messaging and preventative health campaigns), the ATAD-R provides diagnostic insight into whether public service announcements evoke sufficient self-relevance to prompt health behavior modification.

Psychological Construct

The construct captured by the ATAD-R operates at the intersection of cognitive appraisal, self-referencing, and projective consumer imagination. Rather than treating relevance as a static perception of thematic congruence, the authors conceptualize it as an active state of personal engagement comprised of three mutually reinforcing psychological dimensions:

1. Subjective Meaningfulness and Cognitive Utility

The foundational layer of the construct involves the appraisal that an advertisement is not merely noise, but contains subjective significance. Item 1 (“This ad was meaningful to me”) captures the cognitive appraisal that the message aligns with the individual’s current goals, values, or concerns. Concurrently, Item 2 (“This ad was informative to me”) taps into perceived informational utility. Crucially, informativeness in this context is not an objective count of technical specifications; rather, it reflects epistemic value—the acquisition of knowledge that the viewer deems relevant to their ongoing decision-making and identity projects.

2. Self-Referential Integration

Moving beyond general informativeness, the scale assesses cognitive self-referencing through Item 3 (“This ad helped me see how the product might fit into my life”). Self-referencing occurs when an incoming stimulus activates the consumer’s self-schema, prompting them to compare the advertised product’s attributes with their idiosyncratic routines, daily demands, and self-conceptions. When an advertisement achieves high self-referential integration, the psychological distance between the product and the consumer collapses.

3. Projective Mental Simulation

The third dimension of the construct is captured by Item 4 (“This ad made me imagine what it would be like to own or use the product”). This operationalizes mental simulation and consumption-oriented imagery. Rather than processing the ad at an abstract, propositional level, the consumer generates sensory-rich, episodic mental simulations of possession and product utilization. This imaginative engagement produces anticipatory emotional experiences and functional trial within the theater of the mind, which has been shown in behavioral research to enhance post-exposure confidence and consumption desire.

Collectively, these components distinguish the ATAD-R from traditional $A_{ad}$ scales. While an individual can readily concede that a luxury automobile commercial is artistically breathtaking (high traditional $A_{ad}$) while concluding it is entirely irrelevant to their socio-economic realities, the ATAD-R detects the specific presence or absence of that self-anchored, imaginative resonance.

Theoretical Framework

The ATAD-R is grounded in three major theoretical frameworks within cognitive psychology and marketing communication:

1. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Formulated by Petty and Cacioppo (1986), the ELM posits that persuasion follows two distinct routes: central and peripheral. The activation of the central route demands both the ability and the motivation to process message arguments. Motivation, in turn, is predominantly determined by perceived personal relevance. When an individual recognizes an advertisement as personally relevant, cognitive elaboration increases. The ATAD-R serves as an empirical indicator of this motivational activation, determining whether receivers are processing the communication through deep cognitive integration rather than peripheral heuristics (e.g., celebrity presence, superficial soundtrack appeal).

2. Self-Referencing and Schema Theory

Rooted in cognitive memory literature (Rogers, Kuiper, & Kirker, 1977; Burnkrant & Unnava, 1995), schema theory demonstrates that information processed in relation to the self is more thoroughly elaborated, organized, and retrieved. When an ad stimulates self-referencing, new brand associations become linked directly to the complex, highly accessible network of self-schemas. The ATAD-R measures this precise cognitive bridge, capturing the degree to which an external marketing execution triggers spontaneous elaboration regarding the product’s functional fit within the individual’s lived world.

3. Narrative Transportation and Mental Simulation Theory

Research by Escalas (2004, 2007) and Green and Brock (2000) shows that consumers often process persuasive messages through narrative processing and imagery. Narrative transportation and mental simulation allow consumers to create self-relevant mental models. By explicitly assessing whether the advertisement induced respondents to “imagine what it would be like to own or use the product,” the ATAD-R draws upon mental simulation theory, recognizing that proactive consumption visualization acts as an affective and cognitive catalyst for behavioral transformation.

Validity

Empirical validation of the ATAD-R was conducted across multiple experimental and survey environments within the studies published by Lawrence, Fournier, and Brunel (2013), as well as subsequent replications in advertising literature.

Construct and Convergent Validity

Construct validity is substantiated by high item-to-total correlations (ranging from .72 to .86) and high factor loadings across all four indicators. In the foundational investigations, convergent validity was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), where the average variance extracted (AVE) exceeded the standard .50 threshold, regularly surpassing .68. Furthermore, the scale correlated positively and robustly with established multidimensional measures of general attitude toward the ad ($r = .58$ to $.71, p < .001$), brand attitude ($r = .52$ to $.66, p < .001$), and source credibility ($r = .45$ to $.59, p < .001$).

Discriminant Validity

To ensure that the ATAD-R does not merely replicate general hedonic evaluations of an ad, discriminant validity was assessed against traditional scales measuring ad entertainment value, perceived aesthetic production quality, and humor. Using the Fornell-Larcker criterion, the square root of the AVE for the ATAD-R was found to be greater than the inter-construct correlations between ATAD-R and ad amusement or production value. Consumers clearly separated their enjoyment of an ad’s humor from their assessment of whether the advertisement was personally meaningful or stimulated product-use imagination.

Predictive and Criterion-Related Validity

The scale demonstrates outstanding predictive validity. In structural equation modeling (SEM) conducted by Lawrence et al. (2013), personal engagement (ATAD-R) functioned as a powerful direct predictor of both overall advertising effectiveness and downstream behavioral purchase intentions ($b = .48, p < .001$). Notably, in experimental contrasts between consumer-generated and company-created ads, the ATAD-R mediated the relationship between ad source transparency (knowing an ad was produced by an authentic consumer) and subsequent brand relationship resonance, underscoring its diagnostic sensitivity in modern media contexts.

Reliability

The ATAD-R exhibits exceptional psychometric reliability across diverse consumer samples and product categories.

Internal Consistency

Across the experimental conditions reported by Lawrence, Fournier, and Brunel (2013), the internal consistency of the four-item scale was uniformly high:

• Study 1 (Controlled laboratory evaluation of consumer-generated vs. company-created video ads): Cronbach’s $\alpha = .91$.
• Study 2 (Large-scale replication across multiple commercial product categories, including food, electronics, and lifestyle services): Cronbach’s $\alpha = .89$ to $.92$.
• Composite Reliability (CR): Structural modeling demonstrated CR values ranging between $.90$ and $.93$, well above the psychometric standard of $.70$.

Test-Retest Stability

While the ATAD-R is designed primarily as a state-based evaluative metric responsive to immediate ad exposures, longitudinal copy-testing environments with 48-to-72-hour delay intervals indicate adequate temporal stability ($r_{tt} = .76$ to $.82$), indicating that personal relevance appraisals form durable cognitive representations rather than fleeting, random artifacts.

Factor Analysis

The dimensionality of the ATAD-R has been extensively tested using both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)

Principal axis factoring and maximum likelihood extractions with oblimin and varimax rotations consistently yield a single-factor solution. Across iterations, the first eigenvalue substantially exceeds unity (eigenvalues typically between $2.85$ and $3.30$), accounting for $71%$ to $82%$ of the total explained variance, with no secondary factor achieving an eigenvalue above $0.45$. The scree plot clearly demonstrates an unmistakable elbow at the second factor.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

In CFA models testing the unidimensional structure, all four items manifest substantial, statistically significant standardized factor loadings ($p < .001$):

• Item 1 (Meaningful): Standardized $lambda = .84 – .89$
• Item 2 (Informative): Standardized $lambda = .76 – .82$
• Item 3 (Product fit in life): Standardized $lambda = .85 – .90$
• Item 4 (Imagine ownership/use): Standardized $lambda = .81 – .87$

Model fit indices across independent verification samples confirm excellent fit to the observed data:

• $\chi^2/df$: $1.42 – 2.15$ ($p > .05$ in optimal sample sizes)
• Comparative Fit Index (CFI): $.985 – .998$
• Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI): $.975 – .994$
• Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA): $.031 – .052$ (90% CI: $[.000, .078]$)
• Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR): $.014 – .026$

Instrument / Measurement Tool

• Instrument Name: Attitude Toward the Ad (Relevance) (ATAD-R) [Referred to in literature as Personal Engagement Scale]
• Authors: Benjamin Lawrence, Susan Fournier, and Frédéric F. Brunel (2013)
• Target Construct: Perceived personal relevance, cognitive-informational utility, self-referential integration, and projective consumption imagination prompted by an advertisement.
• Administration Format: Self-administered paper-and-pencil or computerized/online survey instrument following ad stimulus exposure.
• Estimated Completion Time: Approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
• Item Count: 4 items.
• Response Scale: 7-point Likert-type scale anchored by 1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree.
• Scoring and Indexing Procedures:
  • All items are directly scored (no reverse-scored items).
  • An overall relevance / personal engagement index is calculated by taking the unweighted arithmetic mean of the four items: $$\text{ATAD-R Score} = \frac{\sum_{i=1}^{4} \text{Item}_i}{4}$$
  • Possible scores range from 1.00 to 7.00.
  • Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater personal relevance, deeper cognitive self-referencing, and more pronounced imaginative engagement with the advertisement and advertised product.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was formally published in 2013 within the peer-reviewed study:

Lawrence, B., Fournier, S., & Brunel, F. (2013). When companies don’t make the ad: A multimethod inquiry into the differential effectiveness of consumer-generated advertising. Journal of Advertising, 42(4), 292-307.

Licensing and Accessibility: The items and scale structure are published in the public academic domain for scientific, educational, and non-commercial research purposes under standard academic fair-use conventions. Commercial copy-testing firms and proprietary software platforms must seek appropriate permissions or comply with copyright clearances governed by Taylor & Francis and the American Academy of Advertising.

References

Burnkrant, R. E., & Unnava, H. R. (1995). Effects of self-referencing on persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 22(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1086/209430

Escalas, J. E. (2004). Imagine yourself in the product: Mental simulation, narrative transportation, and persuasiveness. Journal of Advertising, 33(2), 37-48. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2004.10639163

Escalas, J. E. (2007). Self-referencing and persuasion: Narrative transportation versus analytical elaboration. Journal of Consumer Research, 33(4), 421-429. https://doi.org/10.1086/510216

Green, M. C., & Brock, T. C. (2000). The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 701-721. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.79.5.701

Lawrence, B., Fournier, S., & Brunel, F. (2013). When companies don’t make the ad: A multimethod inquiry into the differential effectiveness of consumer-generated advertising. Journal of Advertising, 42(4), 292-307. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2013.835759

MacKenzie, S. B., Lutz, R. J., & Belch, G. E. (1986). The role of attitude toward the ad as a mediator of advertising effectiveness: A test of competing explanations. Journal of Marketing Research, 23(2), 130-143. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378602300205

Mitchell, A. A., & Olson, J. C. (1981). Are product attribute beliefs the only mediator of advertising effects on brand attitude? Journal of Marketing Research, 18(3), 318-332. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800306

Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). The Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 123-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60214-2

Rogers, T. B., Kuiper, N. A., & Kirker, W. S. (1977). Self-reference and the encoding of personal information. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(9), 677-688. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.35.9.677

Items of the Scale