Participants two completed the puzzle containing inexpensive brands rated the ambiguous automobile (no brand name) as inexpensive, while participants two completed the puzzle with expensive brand names rated the ambiguous automobile as expensive. This is known as an assimilation effect because the target was perceived as similar in price to the automobile primed in the puzzle. The results were very different when the ad contained an unambiguous automobile. In this case, participants who were primed with inexpensive brands rated the moderately priced target (with a clearly visible brand name) as expensive, while participants who were primed with expensive brands rated the target as inexpensive. This is known as a contrast effect because contrasted the target with the prime. In summary, priming produced assimilation effects when the target was ambiguous and contrast effects when the target was unambiguous (see Figure 10.1). The results also showed that consumers did not think that the puzzle influenced their judgments. Previously viewed ads can also prime ideas that influence the interpretation of currently viewed ads. In an important study, participants received one of two ads for a personal computer: the Versa-Com computer, a versatile machine that can perform many function, or the EZ-Com computer, a very easy-to-use machine. Hence, either “versatile” or “easy to use” was primed. Next, participants received an ad for another computer, the PC-3000, which stated that this computer had numerous features. “Numerous features” can be good or bad depending on what specific benefits consumers are seeking. The results of the study showed that the PC-3000 was evaluated more favorably when” versatile” was primed than when “easy to use” was primed. This occurred because “numerous features” seem good when consumers focused on versatility, but “numerous features” seem bad when consumers focused on ease of use. The average American watches more than four hours of television per day, and television can distort consumers’ opinions in very subtle ways via the priming effect. Watching television leads people to overestimate crime, violence, affluence, and marital discord rates, as well as the number of doctor, lawyers, and police officers working in the real world.