ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews literature that appeared in the primary advertising research journals during the 15-year period from 2002–2017. Several articles early in the study period developed mechanisms for defining and measuring interactivity. But slightly more than half of all of the articles offered no clear definition of interactivity and used the term in “casual” ways that suggest that “everyone knows” what interactivity is. Several review articles during the period stressed the importance of interactivity as a key characteristic of digital media. Another subset of articles focused on specific technologies, tactics, or implementations of interactive communication. The remaining articles grow from the media effects tradition and found that, in general, interactivity leads to positive advertising-related outcomes. Implications for the future of theory and practice of interactivity are discussed.
