Twenty Years of Comparative Advertising in the United States

US advertisers have been using explicit comparative advertising now for two decades. There is less use of the comparative format in countries outside of the US, including EC countries. As we move into the twenty-first century and as super powers such as the EC implement new directives such as that on comparative advertising, we may see an increased use of such advertising world-wide. There is lack of agreement regarding the definition of comparative advertising and much debate surrounding the effectiveness of this format. This article proposes a comparative advertising taxonomy and reviews the evidence of comparative advertising effectiveness in the US over the last two decades. Recommendations for future research and practice in and of comparative advertising are proposed.