Download - Science & Advertising: John B. Watson's Influence

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Abby Bartholomew, M.A. �Frauke Hachtmann, Ph.D.�University of Nebraska-Lincoln�

BEHAVIORISM �

“A science that uses repeated, observable human actvity to develop hypotheses that will eventually

predict and control responses.” �(John B. Watson) �

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

PURPOSE �

1.  To explore how a scientist started to apply his theories of behaviorism to a growing consumer-driven environment in the early twentieth century.�

2.  To compare how the concepts of behaviorism are applied to advertising practice today. �


SOURCE �

J. Walter Thompson Company Archives �John Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising, and Marketing History�Special Collections Library�Duke University�


THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORISM �

•  observable activity as predictor of actions�•  experiments on infants: Baby Albert �•  conditioning and unconditioning �•  pragmatic/applied behaviorism�

J. WALTER THOMPSON �


•  Stanley B. Resor, president, believed that human nature is largely predictable�

•  Accountability to clients�•  Integration of research into advertising best

practices�

�“I began to learn that it can be just as thrilling to watch the growth of a sales curve […] as to watch the learning curve of animals and men.” (John B. Watson) �

J. WALTER THOMPSON �


•  Branded radio broadcasts: toothpaste�•  Power of brand loyalty: cigarettes�•  Brand impage/personality: coffee�•  Fear appeal: toilet paper �

THEN AND NOW �


•  Branding�•  Human resources�•  Public relations�•  Networked communications�•  Measurement and analytics�