Has Industrial Advertising Become Consumerized? A Longitudinal Perspective from the USA

This research explores similarities and differences between industrial and consumer print advertisements over time. While the literature and recent professional opinion has suggested that the two advertising arenas have become increasingly similar over the years, a systematic assessment of advertisements since 1955 produced little evidence of a narrowing of differences. What trends were observed affected both types of advertising. In terms of consistent differences, industrial advertisements tended to be more product and less people oriented, to contain more copy, and more likely to discuss benefits from product use than were consumer advertisements.