Are ad sequels effective? Field and experimental evidence on effectiveness and mechanisms

Purpose Sequel advertisements, although used often in practice, are not well studied in literature. This study aims to define sequel advertisements, investigate their effectiveness on customer attitudes towards ads/brands and identify key elements leading to their effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach The authors first conduct a field study using Facebook data to show that sequels are more effective than non-sequels and repeat ads. Study 2 experimentally tests recall and brand attitudes of sequels over new advertisements, Study 3 tests the effectiveness of different character retention and plot extension variations in sequels and Study 4 experimentally establishes the cognitive path that leads to greater effectiveness of sequel advertisements. Findings Sequel advertisements are more effective on consumer recall and brand attitudes as compared to new or repeat advertisements, with message format of the first advertisement moderating the effectiveness of the sequel. Consumers’ recognition of the prior-sequel connection mediates the effectiveness of the sequel advertisement. Plot extension with character retention is the most effective sequel advertising strategy. Research limitations/implications This research opens opportunities for research on the effectiveness of sequels across different media formats/product categories and sequential ads. Practical implications The findings suggest that managers can profitably adopt a strategy of narrative ad followed by a sequel that extends the plot while retaining the characters. Originality/value The authors define sequel advertisements, describe the process mechanisms leading to greater effectiveness of sequels and identify superior sequel advertising strategies.