Silently pronouncing new words helps people become familiar with them, and the same goes for remembering new brands. However, German researchers found that eating popcorn while watching an ad can disrupt this process, making movie advertising less effective. This contradicts current marketing strategies.
Research from the 1930s found that when humans encounter a new word, they unconsciously pronounce it to themselves, a process that helps people become familiar with the unfamiliar. The same goes for advertising: viewers remember a new brand by silently simulating its pronunciation. However, in 2013, German researchers found that cinema audiences were less likely to remember a new brand if they ate popcorn while watching the ad, leading the researchers to conclude that focusing on snacking can disrupt the entire process.
How Popcorn Hides Ads:
The research, published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, found that this “inner speech” process is derailed by “oral interference,” making movie advertising less effective.
This finding suggests that selling candy (and popcorn) in theaters actually undermines advertising effects, which contradicts current marketing strategies,” said researcher Sascha Topolinski.
On average, popcorn sells at a 900 percent markup, so theaters are unlikely to stop feeding moviegoers any time soon.
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