| Because people differ in their attitudes about television advertising, the impact of such advertising on consumers is considered significant by advertisers. A study evaluated why people tend to have unfavorable attitudes about television advertising. A sample of people in the Chicago area were surveyed about their attitudes to television advertising, their beliefs about aspects of television advertising, and the functions television advertising might play for them. The results suggest that the influence of overall attitudes about television advertising on evaluations on an individual commercial depends on 5 factors: 1. viewer perceptions of the social costs of television advertising, 2. characteristics of the target audience, 3. attitudes about television programs, 4. how people view the personal benefits they may or may not derive from television advertising, and 5. the functions that television advertising serve for consumers. |