Cross Media Promotion of the Internet in Television Commercials

Increasing presence of internet addresses across traditional media spurred the current study. Specifically, the study examined the cross media promotion of website addresses in television commercials to determine if and when they were being used, and by whom? For comparison purposes, other formsof direct response channels were also measured. A clearer understanding of the practice of promoting web sites in television commercials was garnered by examining website addresses for their size, length, positioning, frequency, product categoy representation, and other important attributes. The findings provide an initial base from which future growth and style of web site advertising in traditional media can be measured. Results indicate that advertisers may be returning to a bullet theory mentality, believing that if consumers are hit with a web address, they will visit the site. In this study, internet addresses analyzed were usually quite small, flashed quickly, and lacked any kind of support as to why consumers should want to visit a company\u27s 0internet site. Implications for advertisers and suggestions for future cross media promotion of internet sites are provided