The power of the unspoken: how brands implicitly reference specific brands in indirect comparative advertising

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate a form of indirect comparative advertising in which an advertiser makes it clear which specific brand is being referenced without explicitly naming it (implicit referencing). This extends existing theories and adds a conceptual facet to frameworks of comparative advertising. Design/methodology/approach Following calls for comparative advertising research beyond US contexts, this paper uses an interpretive approach, namely, textual analysis as established by Barbara Stern, to analyze two Swiss cases of implicit referencing. Findings This paper finds that implicit references are constructed using verbal and visual references. Verbal referencing refers to references that build on verbal cues to elicit associations with a specific brand (e.g. slogans, taglines and expressions). Visual referencing refers to references that build on visual cues to elicit associations with a specific brand (e.g. colors, labels and shapes). The authors also identify construction patterns for implicit referencing: Implicitly referencing ads establish a favorable basis for comparison, incorporate redundant cues and guide consumers in interpreting the comparison. Practical implications This paper offers valuable insights for practitioners on crafting effective implicit references. As indirect comparative ads have been shown to be more effective when they elicit specific brand associations, the authors provide strategic tools to enhance their impact. Originality/value While prior research acknowledges the existence of implicit referencing, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine its underlying mechanisms. The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in refining comparative advertising theories and expanding their scope to include cross-category comparisons.