PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Stephen Richard Dix
AU  - Ian Phau
TI  - Predictors of Commercial Zapping During Live Prime-Time Television
AID  - 10.2501/JAR-2017-010
DP  - 2017 Mar 01
TA  - Journal of Advertising Research
PG  - 15--27
VI  - 57
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/57/1/15.short
4100  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/57/1/15.full
SO  - J Advert Res2017 Mar 01; 57
AB  - Television advertising-avoidance research delivers a broad range of estimates for the extent of channel switching during advertising breaks (i.e., commercial zapping). The diverse methods likely contribute to the disparity in commercial-zapping estimates. This study implements a combined hidden-observation/survey approach and tests potential predictors of commercial zapping. The use of remote controls emerged as a significant driver of observed commercial zapping. Perceived clutter and advertising triggers emerged as significant predictors of reported commercial zapping. This study empowers media planners to determine prime-time advertising-audience erosion more accurately. Additionally, with a greater degree of confidence, advertisers can address factors that drive channel-switching behavior and dismiss factors that do not.