All that glitters is not gold: The dual effect of activation technique in advertising

The research examines the two paths of influence of activation technique in advertising, defined as engaging in motor activity required to reveal the advertising message. Under the first path, activation technique enhances the perceived creativity of the advertisement, via its structural and design aspects; whereas under the second path it influences processing fluency via its compatibility with the message. In the latter, activation technique may detract from overall evaluations of the advertisement, especially when the motor activity is incompatible with the message. Two experimental designs demonstrate this dual effect and its underlying mechanism.