The impact of sequential versus simultaneous media exposure on online advertising effectiveness

Nowadays there is an increasing trend in simultaneous rather than sequential multiple media consumption. At the same time a significant rise in media exposure is recorded, even though the amount of time people spend on media remains constant. The present study examines the effects of sequential versus simultaneous exposure to ads for the same brand on TV and the internet on consumers' attention to, comprehension of, and attitude toward a banner ad through the mediating effect of cognitive load. An experiment with 291 participants showed that sequential rather than simultaneous media exposure leads to more favorable banner ad attitudes via lower cognitive load, increased attention, and higher subjective comprehension. In sequential media consumption, participants processed the banner ads more systematically and deliberately compared to the simultaneous scenario. Significant implications for the effectiveness of multimedia advertising campaigns are highlighted.