The several premature autopsies of AVE

Résumé

This commentary discusses how advertising value equivalence (AVE) has been a measure of public relations that refuses to go away, despite its dubious value as a scientifically valid metric. The 2010 Barcelona Declaration of Research Principles is put forward as a potential guide away from AVE towards a more scientifically valid set of measures. The author illustrates his points with anecdotes from his professional experiences throughout his career.

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