Where Less Is More? The Effect of White Space and Product Image Dynamism on Consumer Attitudes Toward Advertisement

The current study explores the role of white space within advertisements on consumers’ perceptions and the downstream consequences regarding their attitude toward the advertisement. We propose that advertisements with low (vs. high) white space on an advertisement enhances consumers’ perceived confinement about the advertisement (Study 1). Further, advertisements including high (vs. low) white space should increase consumers’ positive attitudes about the advertisement in response to the product image dynamism which is higher, while this is not the case for product image dynamism which is lower (Study 2). Two studies provide support for these propositions. This research not only helps to understand the different interpretations of white space, but also complements the literature on product image dynamism and advertising effectiveness.