The effectiveness of a foreign language slogan in a cross-media and a single media publicity campaign.

Abstract

The use of foreign languages is widespread in advertising. Studies have examined the use of foreign languages in advertising, but as of yet did not focus on cross-media versus single media publicity campaigns. This article investigated the use of French as a foreign language in Dutch publicity campaigns. Participants judged different types of publicity campaigns. The slogan in the campaign was presented either in French or in Dutch. Participants were asked to rate the different campaigns on four different dependent variables. Additionally, participants were asked to recall the slogan. Results showed that no significant differences were found in the evaluation of the different types of campaigns. The correct recall of the slogan showed a decrease in purchase intention and perceived comprehensibility compared to incorrect recollection. This experiment provides insights in a new field of study. No conclusive prove was found for the effectiveness of foreign language use in advertising.