Awareness of outdoor advertising in Hong Kong

An intercept survey using quota sampling design investigated awareness of eight outdoor advertisements among 332 Hong Kong pedestrians aged 15 and above. Awareness of outdoor posters ranged from 19 percent to 50 percent, with an average of 35 percent. Advertising awareness did not differ by sex, age, or educational level. The message response involvement theory was adopted as the theoretical framework. Results supported the theory as higher motivation, opportunity, and ability were linked to higher advertising awareness. Tourists had lower advertising awareness than Hong Kong residents, probably due to language difficulties and unfamiliarity with local celebrities. Respondents generally held positive perceptions of outdoor advertising. They reported that they would pay attention to outdoor ads that were creative, vivid in color, or larger-than-life. Advertising awareness and perceptions of outdoor ads was positively correlated with frequency of visits to the district. Recommendations for outdoor advertising in urban pedestrian settings are made. This is the first reported study on outdoor advertising awareness among pedestrians in Hong Kong.