Marketers today increasingly rely on online platforms like mobile apps, social media, and direct email to deliver promotional content, drawn by their cost-effectiveness and extensive reach. However, despite these advantages, traditional offline promotion, such as printed coupons, might still outperform their digital counterparts in driving consumer behavior.
Offline media are reported to enhance consumers’ ability to recall promotional content and improve their perception of the advertised products. Yet, a direct comparison of how offline and online promotional media affect consumer behavior has remained largely unexplored.
To address this, a team of researchers from Japan, comprising Associate Professor Taku Togawa from Sophia University, Associate Professor Hiroaki Ishii and Professor Naoto Onzo from Waseda University, Assistant Professor Soonho Kwon from Kanagawa University, and Professor Ikumi Hiraki from Tokyo International University, compared the effects of online and offline sales promotional media on the consumer behavioral responses. Their findings were published online in the Journal of Advertising Research on 1 December 2024.
The team conducted a field experiment in which online and offline promotional coupons of the company Fujifilm were sent to 7,500 customers. Participants were divided into three groups: one group received promotional coupons offline first (via direct mail, followed by email), another received them online first (via email, followed by direct mail), and a third group received only online coupons (via email twice). The researchers measured coupon redemption rates and conducted a follow-up survey to assess how participants interacted with the media, their cognitive engagement, and their level of attachment to the Fujifilm brand.
The results revealed that coupon redemption rates were highest in the offline-first group and lowest in the online-only group. Cognitive engagement directly affected the coupon redemption behavior of the consumers. According to the lead author, Prof. Togawa, “Printed coupons increase cognitive engagement, which in turn promotes redemption behavior.” Additionally, consumers with low brand attachment were more likely to cognitively engage with the contents of the coupons and subsequently redeem the coupons.
Although offline promotional couponing incurred higher marketing costs—$4,500 for both offline-first and online-first groups compared to $0 for the online-only group—they generated significantly greater sales. Estimated sales were $13,000 for the offline-first group, $11,100 for the online-first group, and just $2,200 for the online-only group. As Prof. Togawa explains, “The higher costs of offline marketing are justified by the substantial increase in sales they drive.”
The authors also performed a laboratory study with 127 undergraduate students. In the experiment, the authors distributed fictitious coupons for a discount on beverages (Starbucks) and furniture (IKEA) in either online or print media. An online survey was conducted to evaluate the intention to redeem the coupon and cognitive engagement. The intention to redeem the offline coupon was high for both products. Consistent with the field study findings, the effects of print (vs. online) media on redemption intention were pronounced among participants with low attachment to the brands, whereas the effect was attenuated among those with high brand attachment.
“Our findings indicate that offline promotional media have an important role in triggering consumer behavior even in this digital age,” notes Prof. Togawa. However, the researchers suggest that further studies are needed to determine the effects of offline marketing on the behavior of consumers in various contexts (e.g., cross-national studies).
This study highlights the advantages of offline media in driving consumer behavior, offering key insights for marketers. It emphasizes the roles of cognitive engagement and brand attachment, helping marketers design more effective and targeted promotional strategies.
Reference
Title of original paper: Effects of Online Versus Online Promotional Media on Consumer Response. Can Print versus Online Coupons Be More Effective At Increasing Redemption Behavior?
Journal: Journal of Advertising Research
DOI: 10.2501/JAR-2024-030
Authors: Taku Togawa1, Hiroaki Ishii2, Soonho Kwon3, Ikumi Hiraki4, and Naoto Onzo2
Affiliations: 1Sophia University, 2Waseda University, 3Kanagawa University, 4Tokyo International University
About Sophia University
Established as a private Jesuit affiliated university in 1913, Sophia University is one of the most prestigious universities located in the heart of Tokyo, Japan. Imparting education through 29 departments in 9 faculties and 25 majors in 10 graduate schools, Sophia hosts more than 13,000 students from around the world.
Conceived with the spirit of “For Others, With Others,” Sophia University truly values internationality and neighborliness, and believes in education and research that go beyond national, linguistic, and academic boundaries. Sophia emphasizes on the need for multidisciplinary and fusion research to find solutions for the most pressing global issues like climate change, poverty, conflict, and violence. Over the course of the last century, Sophia has made dedicated efforts to hone future-ready graduates who can contribute their talents and learnings for the benefit of others, and pave the way for a sustainable future while “Bringing the World Together.”
Website: https://www.sophia.ac.jp/eng/
About Professor Taku Togawa from Sophia University
Taku Togawa is an Associate Professor of marketing at the Faculty of Economics, Sophia University, Japan. He mainly conducts experimental studies in the area of consumer behavior. Specifically, his research focuses on how and when sensory inputs from marketing tools, including advertising, packaging, and sales promotion, influence consumers’ perceptions, evaluations, and consumption behavior. Togawa has published in academic journals, such as the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Advertising Research, and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
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