The results would have been more compelling if the study measured the impact of ad campaigns (sets of related ads) in delivering a consistent (reliable) impression.
Sample size: A critical view would state that the present research relies on a very small sample of advertisements (n=2) to make its claims. After all, the research focuses on the capacity of an ad to convey archetypal and personality-based aspects of brand identity. The results would have been more compelling if the study measured the impact of ad campaigns (sets of related ads) in delivering a consistent (reliable) impression. Though such studies are rare, good interpretive and quantitative examples can be found in the literature. At a minimum, this exploratory paper should set a more specific and ambitious plan for systematic future research on the topic. For example, Padgett and Mulvey (2007) illustrate a method to identify personal values conveyed by 16 ad campaigns (another complementary dimension of personified brands) and Padgett and Mulvey (2009) demonstrate a novel way to characterize customer-brand relationship archetypes. Imagine a conversation with these authors: what do you contribute to the ongoing conversation?