Eye tracking study of attention to print advertisements: Effects of typeface figuration

  • Irma Puškarević University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design
  • Uroš Nedeljković University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design
  • Vladimir Dimovski University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design
  • Klementina Možina University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Graphic Arts and Design
Keywords: advertising effectiveness, attention, bottom-up processes, gaze, eye tracking, region of interest, typography, visual rhetoric

Abstract

The use of rhetorical figures has become a widely–accepted method for capturing attention and positively increasing cognitive effort in print advertisements. So far research studies mostly analyzed the effect of rhetorical figures in the written as well as pictorial elements of an ad. However, there have been few studies addressing the effect of rhetorical figuration in the specific area of typeface design. This study analyzes the effects of typeface figuration (i.e., regular vs. irregular stylization of the form) on attention and attitude of the viewers. The study also looks at how the effect of typeface figuration changes in relation to the type of a product (hedonistic vs. utilitarian) being advertised. Through the use of a 2 × 2 experimental design, the study measures data using a combination of eye tracking (an objective method) and attitude scaling (a subjective method). 65 volunteers participated in the study. The eye tracking results show that using rhetorical figures in typeface mainly affects attention of the viewers. We have also determined that they influence their attitude. Additionally, the study shows that a typeface and a type of products are correlated; it shows that the hedonistic type of products can benefit more from the figuration. In conclusion, our study builds on and expands the current understanding of the use of rhetorical figures by proving that there is a correlation between the use of rhetorical figures in typeface and viewers' attention, depending on the type of product being advertised.
Published
2016-11-28
How to Cite
Puškarević, I., Nedeljković, U., Dimovski, V., & Možina, K. (2016). Eye tracking study of attention to print advertisements: Effects of typeface figuration. Journal of Eye Movement Research, 9(5). https://doi.org/10.16910/jemr.9.5.6
Section
Articles