Influence of Engagement and Interactivity Level on Accessibility and Diagnosticity in Smart Signage

While more and more marketers incorporate smart signage (i.e., media convergence of smart phone, SNS, and digital signage) as an integral part of integrated marketing communications, far fewer studies examine the effectiveness of this emerging media platform. To address this issue, the current study sheds light on this new form of marketing communication, and highlights its interest for advertisers by investigating how the accessibility and diagnosticity of information in consumer memory vary according to the level of interactivity (high vs. low) and engagement (high vs. low) in the Smart signage media environment. Findings show that when the interactivity level of Smart signage was low, the accessibility to memory related to retrospection is high, but diagnosticity related to judgment is low. It is also found that while accessibility increased, diagnosticity have a negative influence when both interactivity level and engagement level of Smart signage are low. However, our research indicate that as interactivity level is decreased and engagement level is increased. Further evidence indicates a condition under which interactive level of digital signage might result in consumer avoidance, thereby having a negative influence on memory and attitude. In a digital signage context, the research discussed in this article can provide an deeper understanding into the use of digital signage advertising and suggest to marketers better strategies for directly dealing with consumer and media characteristics in leveraging the persuasiveness of digital signage advertising. Theoretical explanations are suggested as well as practical implications for marketers and recommendations for future research.1