The FTA scale is the most widely used measure of consumer affective responses to advertising executions. Edell and Burke (1987) proposed that emotional reactions to advertisements are multidimensional and comprise three relatively independent factors: Upbeat Feelings (active, positive, high-arousal emotions such as enthusiasm, excitement, and playfulness), Negative Feelings (aversive, critical, and dysphoric responses such as irritation, boredom, and offense), and Warm Feelings (low-arousal positive emotions such as affection, warmth, and empathy). The three factors are empirically separable: an advertisement can simultaneously produce high Upbeat and high Warm responses, or it can produce Upbeat responses while evoking Negative reactions. The scale was developed by asking respondents to report their feelings during ad exposure using a checklist of 52 affect adjectives, from which 30 loaded cleanly on the three factors via factor analysis. The FTA dimensions are theoretically and empirically antecedent to attitude toward the advertisement (Aad) and attitude toward the brand (Ab), and they mediate the effects of ad execution characteristics (humour, warmth appeals, music, colour) on brand evaluation. Warm Feelings are particularly predictive of Ab in emotional/experiential product categories; Upbeat Feelings are more predictive of processing engagement and recall. Negative Feelings negatively predict Aad and can independently reduce Ab even in the presence of positive Upbeat Feelings.
Edell, J.A., & Burke, M.C. (1987). The power of feelings in understanding advertising effects. Journal of Consumer Research, 14(3), 421–433.
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