scholarly journals Message assertiveness and price discount in prosocial advertising: differences between Americans and Koreans

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyejin Bang ◽  
Dongwon Choi ◽  
Sukki Yoon ◽  
Tae Hyun Baek ◽  
Yeonshin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Nonprofit Organizations ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Message Framing ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Price Discount ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Disadvantaged Children ◽  
Price Discounts

Purpose Prosocial advertisers widely use assertive messages to encourage prosocial attitudes and behaviors, but ironically, assertive messages may cause reactance. By applying cultural theories and the reciprocity principle, this study aims to observe whether consumers’ responses to assertive messages hold across culturally different audiences (Americans vs South Koreans) and different consumption situations (price discount vs no discount). Design/methodology/approach American and Korean participants take part in three experimental studies examining the interactions of nationality, price discounts and assertive messaging for influencing consumer responses, first to a prosocial ad encouraging recycling (Study 1), the second for a campaign requesting donations for disadvantaged children (Study 2) and the third to prosocial messages encouraging water conservation (Study 3). Findings The three experiments strongly support the moderating role of price discounts and cultural backgrounds in the persuasiveness of assertive prosocial messages. American consumers generally dislike assertive messages, but feel reciprocal obligations if marketers include price discounts, whereas South Korean consumers accept both assertive and nonassertive messages without resistance, and discounts have no effects on persuasion. Research limitations/implications The findings make two key contributions to the literature and to prosocial advertising practices. First, although many corporations have adopted philanthropic strategies, few researchers have examined how specific consumption contexts determine the effectiveness of prosocial persuasion. The findings show how price discounts and message framing potentially alter the effectiveness of prosocial messages across Eastern and Western cultures. Second, assertive language evokes reactance, but the findings suggest that reactive responses to prosocial advertising are culture-specific. Practical implications International nonprofit organizations and brands using philanthropic strategies might use the guidelines of this study for tailoring strategic, practical prosocial messages that will appeal to consumers from diverse cultural backgrounds. In particular, pro-environmental and charity campaigns targeting North American or Western European populations may consider bundling discounts into promotions to evoke reciprocity. Originality/value Findings provide novel implications for social marketers regarding on how to couple message assertiveness and price discounts to maximize the success of prosocial messages in different cultures.

Can vague brand slogans promote desirable consumer responses?

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 282-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Strutton ◽  
Widyarso Roswinanto
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Brand Attitude ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Word Count ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Brand Recall ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the effects associated with the strategic use of vague, as opposed to precise, advertised brand slogans on various consumer responses. Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis study was conducted to explore the pattern of vagueness in advertising slogans from 1,441 consumer-oriented brands. Based on the resultant delineation/definition of vagueness, two experimental studies followed. Vignette advertising slogans were manipulated to achieve different level of vagueness. The initial 2 × 2 factorial between subjects design engaged vagueness level of brand slogans and consumers’ need for cognition as factors. Brand recall functioned as the dependent variable. The second experiment featured another 2 × 2 factorial design that used vagueness level and length of brand slogan as factors. Brand attitude, persuasiveness and purchase intention functioned as dependent variables. Findings – Vagueness level of advertising/branding slogans did not significantly affect brand recall. Interactions between vagueness level and length of advertisement slogans exercised significant effects on evoked thought, brand attitude and persuasiveness but not on purchase intention. At net, this study generated original theoretical and managerial insights about how and why desirable branding outcomes can be generated by managing the vagueness and word count of brand slogans, and a platform from which future research on this topic could be based. Research limitations/implications – First, the sample was limited to the southwestern USA. Second, in the slogan vignettes that were used, other cues were deliberately eliminated. A brand slogan essentially devoid of other cues may have been perceived as less realistic by respondents, thus reducing the relevance of their responses. However, a similar tradeoff always exists between more realistic states and controlled conditions. Practical implications – This study produces original theoretical and managerial insights about how and why several desirable branding outcomes are likely to result when vague, rather than precise, advertising slogans are deployed under certain manageable conditions. Each insight just referenced ensues from a study that itself was grounded in an extensive content analysis of contemporary print advertising slogans. This content analysis generated a substantial amount of practical and actionable insight about the treatment and use and management of slogans. This study demonstrates that the vagueness, precision and/or word count of slogans can be manipulated in ways that yield three communication outcomes that redound directly to the marketing interests of brand and advertising managers. Originality/value – The findings provide unique insight into how vagueness level of advertising slogans can be managed and how such a level can affect consumers’ perceptions.

The impact of message framing and perceived consumer effectiveness on green ads

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceren Ekebas-Turedi ◽  
Elika Kordrostami ◽  
Ilgım Dara Benoit
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Message Framing ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Target Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Green Advertising ◽  
Perceived Consumer Effectiveness ◽  
Individual Actions ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of ad message framing (self-benefit vs other-benefit messages) and perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) on green advertising effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework was borrowed from self-congruity theory and was tested with two between-subject design experiments; PCE was measured in the first study and manipulated in the second. Findings The findings show that both measured and primed PCE (low vs high) moderate the impact of a green ad’s message framing on consumer responses (i.e. attitude toward the brand and purchase intention). Specifically, an other-benefit message is more effective when consumers perceive that their individual actions can positively influence environmental issues (high PCE). In contrast, a self-benefit message is more effective when consumers perceive that their individual actions might not be enough to influence environmental issues (low PCE). This research also shows that the influence of message framing on consumer responses is mediated by the perceived social responsibility of the company. Practical implications This paper offers an outline for designing effective ad campaigns for green products. Managers can determine or manipulate the PCE level of their target market and frame the message in their ad campaign accordingly, which will positively drive perceived social responsibility and, in turn, the ad campaign’s effectiveness. Originality/value This paper contributes to both the green advertising and self-congruity literature by showing the moderating effect of PCE on the effectiveness of message framing in green advertising.

The effect of human model image backgrounds on consumer responses: empirical evidence from a Chinese apparel e-retailer

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruijuan Wu ◽  
Yan Li
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Mental Imagery ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Human Model ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Model Image ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe objective of this study was to examine the effects of human model backgrounds (concrete backgrounds vs. solid backgrounds) on consumer responses (attention and attitude) and to determine the mechanism and boundary conditions behind such effects.Design/methodology/approachThe research consisted of one eye-tracking experiment and two experimental studies.FindingsThe results showed that consumers notice faster and pay more attention to the central figure against solid backgrounds. However, concrete backgrounds elicit more favorable attitudes toward products, and mental imagery mediates the effects of image backgrounds on consumers' attitudes. The authors also found that the situation moderates the relationship between image background and attitude.Originality/valueThe study also supplements the literature on the effects of image backgrounds on consumer responses and the literature on online presentation using human models. Last, the study combines questionnaires with an eye-tracking experiment to obtain a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the results.

Social media as complementary consumption: the relationship between consumer empowerment and social interactions in experiential and informative contexts

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mujde Yuksel ◽  
George R Milne ◽  
Elizabeth G Miller
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Consumer Empowerment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Complementary Role

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the interaction between consumer empowerment and social interactions as fundamental social media elements. It demonstrates their relationship in both experiential and informative social media setting where social media complements an offline consumer activity. The study aims to contribute to the literature on social media by demonstrating its complementary role on offline activities through these fundamental elements. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports three experimental designs that manipulate the empowering and the socializing elements of complementary activities to show their effects on both the complementary online and the complemented offline activities. Findings – The paper presents three empirical studies that reveal the effects of two fundamental social media elements (i.e. empowerment and socialization) on consumers’ responses toward consumption episodes that consist of complementary online and complemented offline activities. It reveals that that these elements increase positive consumer responses toward both the online and the offline activities through psychological empowerment. However, the interaction between the elements changes with respect to specific empowerment types. Research limitations/implications – The paper contributes to the literature on social media by demonstrating its complementary role on offline activities through its empowering and socializing elements. It bridges research on consumer empowerment and socialization in a way that reveals their interaction beyond the extant definitions of empowerment resulting from enhanced communication among consumers. The paper also demonstrates the complementary role of social media on offline consumer behaviors through the effects of these two fundamental elements.The participants of the experimental studies are presented with hypothetical scenarios and asked about their behavioral intentions. Thus, future studies should address the research questions in real-world settings. Practical implications – The paper includes implications for social media usage as a complementary activity to offline real-life consumer behavior through the effects of consumer empowerment and social interactions. Thus, it may benefit marketers seeking to optimize the empowering and socializing components of their social media strategies. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified need to study how social media may affect real-life consumer behavior. It also identifies the interaction between the empowering and the socializing elements of social media offerings in both experiential and informative settings.

Territorial consumer behaviors on social media: a dark side of psychological ownership

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petru Dorin Micu ◽  
Christy Ashley
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Psychological Ownership ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Consumer Behaviors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Media Firms ◽  
Consumer Interactions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether consumers experience territory infringements during interactions with other consumers on firm-managed social media pages and, if so, how consumers respond. In offline contexts, feelings of territoriality affect consumers’ responses to other people in ways that are detrimental to the firm. Less is known about the effects of territoriality in response to consumer-to-consumer interactions on social media. Firms need to understand the implications of these interactions as they encourage consumer engagement on firm-owned social media pages. Design/methodology/approach The current research examines whether territorial consumer behaviors occur in response to co-consumers on social media pages for a brand (Study 1) and a product (Study 2) using experimental studies. Findings The studies provide evidence that a perceived territory infringement by a co-consumer can provoke retaliation toward the co-consumer and reduce engagement on the firm-owned social media page. Psychological ownership toward the product or brand amplifies these effects. Research limitations/implications The findings were robust in the experimental scenarios that featured a brand and a product. However, future research should validate the results in a field study and include other brands and products. Practical implications The findings highlight conditions under which consumer-to-consumer interactions can decrease social media engagement on firm-owned social media pages. Originality/value The manuscript is the first to examine how territoriality and psychological ownership relate to negative consumer responses following consumer-to-consumer interactions on social media.

scholarly journals Price discounts in rights issues: why do managers insist on what investors hate?

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesario Mateus ◽  
Jorge Farinha ◽  
Nuno Soares
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Price Discount ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Sentiment ◽  
Financial Firms ◽  
Price Discounts ◽  
Announcement Returns ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Rights Issues

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the causes and impact of the significant mean price discounts (25 per cent for financial and 29 per cent for non-financial firms) in rights issues in the UK using a sample of 268 observations for the period of 1994 to 2012. It is observed that for non-financial companies, the issue terms announcement returns are negatively affected by the discount size, while firm size, growth prospects and good previous stock performance have a positive impact. It is also investigated which factors seem to influence managers to engage in deeper discounts when these are so disliked by investors. Evidence is provided that firms with more leverage, larger bid-ask spreads or suffering losses tend to choose deeper discounts. The authors conclude that managers balance the expected negative reaction of the market to a price discount with the risks of a costly issue failure, with these being higher when the firm experiences losses, has a higher volatility and also when the stock market climate is more adverse. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is divided in two stages. In a first step (thereafter pre-announcement), the authors evaluate the firm’s and market conditions that determine the price discount. In a second stage (post-announcement), the authors measure the market reaction to the rights issues announcement by calculating the abnormal announcement returns by cumulating the difference between daily returns (R) and expected market returns (ER) for the period of −2 to 2 relative to the announcement day. Findings The authors document that price discounts in right issues for non-financial and financial firms are determined by a set of firm-characteristics and market sentiment. They also bring evidence that price discounts are not arbitrarily determined by firm managers. Originality/value The results are consistent with the idea that despite the negative signal to investors conveyed by a significant price discount in the new shares, managers of non-financial companies still engage in substantially price-cutting.

How anthropomorphic cues affect reactions to service delays

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-482
Author(s):  
Seth Ketron ◽  
Kelly Naletelich
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Switching Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Blame Attributions ◽  
Service Delays ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Service delays are of significant concern to both consumers and companies – delays cost both groups billions of dollars and lead to consumer frustration and switching activity. Therefore, determining means of overcoming negative consumer reactions to delays is important, and the authors propose that anthropomorphic facial expressions could be one of those means. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to test the effects of anthropomorphic cues (namely, happy and sad faces) on consumer responses to service delays, depending on whether service providers are at fault for those delays. Design/methodology/approach Three experimental studies test the proposed effects. Findings Happy faces alongside messages about delays appear to provide no significant benefit to repatronage intentions compared to a non-anthropomorphic (control) condition, whether the service provider is or is not to blame. Meanwhile, sad faces are harmful when the provider is not to blame but can somewhat bolster repatronage intentions when the provider is at fault. Further, perceived sincerity of the facial expression and patience with the provider mediate these effects. Research limitations/implications The findings offer important insights into how anthropomorphic cues, including emojis, can influence consumer responses to service delays. The work, thus, offers clarity around instances in which anthropomorphism might lead to negative consumer responses. Practical implications Managers can use the findings to increase patience and mitigate potentially negative consumer responses when service delays occur. Originality/value This work adds clarity to the literature on anthropomorphism by showing how blame attributions for service delays can lead to different consumer responses to anthropomorphic cues. The findings also show how anthropomorphism can help to mitigate negative consumer responses to service delays.

How consumers value transactions that entail using windfall money to offset missed price discounts

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 1113-1132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subimal Chatterjee ◽  
Napatsorn Jiraporn ◽  
Timothy B. Heath ◽  
Magdoleen Ierlan ◽  
Glenn A. Pitman
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Preference Elicitation ◽  
Price Discount ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Price Discounts ◽  
Method Effect ◽  
Gift Cards ◽  
Purchase Likelihood ◽  
Second Chance ◽  
Lost Opportunity

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine if consumers, after missing a price discount on a desired product, prefer to buy the latter at a smaller discount or prefer to pay full price but offset some of it with windfall money. Design/methodology/approach – In four experiments, participants imagine that they have missed an opportunity to buy a box of chocolates at $50 off and are offered a second chance to buy them at a less attractive discount ($25) or pay full price, but partially offset the full price with various windfall lotteries ($25, $50, $75) and gift cards ($50). Findings – Participants are more likely to buy the chocolates at the less attractive (second) discount rather than pay full price using windfall money. In doing so, they show that they are willing to be more, rather than less, poor from an overall wealth perspective to acquire the chocolates. This anomaly surfaces irrespective of the windfall amounts or preference elicitation methods (joint versus separate evaluation). The negative transaction utility of paying full price mediates the purchase method effect (discount versus windfall) on purchase likelihood, but gift cards are able to reduce the negative transaction utility of paying full price. Originality/value – The research reveals a judgmental anomaly in how consumers assess product acquisition value following a lost opportunity and suggests that marketing managers may be able to reduce consumer inertia by strategically matching rewards with the source of the lost chance.

High versus low online price discounts: effects on customers’ perception of risks

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 401-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Eun Lee ◽  
Leslie Stoel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Price Discount ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Risks ◽  
Price Discounts ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the signaling effects of high versus low price discounts by integrating extant literature on price discounts, perceived risks and purchase intentions for products sold online. The study examines the influence of price discounts on perceived risks, and the subsequent influence of these risk perceptions on online purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach – This study used an experimental design. The manipulated factor was price discount (10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 per cent). Responses were collected via online surveys. Nonlinear regression analysis with the MEDCURVE macro was used for the analysis. Findings – The results show that the discount size increases customers’ perceived risks, and that these perceived risks mediate the relationship between price discount and purchase intentions. Practical implications – This study provides a better understanding of customers’ risk perceptions for online price discounts, which enables retailers to decide appropriate price discounts to attract customers. Originality/value – Most previous literature focusing on price discounts takes into consideration the presentation effect on consumers’ positive perceptions, while this study investigates the price discount effect on customers’ negative perceptions. In particular, this study examines the mediating effect of perceived risks on the relationship between price discount and purchase intention, which has not been investigated in previous studies.

What do customers want? The impact of pricing tactic persuasion knowledge and frequency of exposure

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Ting Chen ◽  
Li-Chi Lan ◽  
Wen-Chang Fang
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Purchasing Behavior ◽  
Persuasion Knowledge ◽  
Price Discount ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderating Variables ◽  
Price Discounts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

PurposePrevious research has shown that consumers prefer a bonus pack to a price discount for virtue foods, whereas they prefer a price discount to a bonus pack for vice foods. Acting as a guilt-mitigating mechanism, a price discount justifies consumers' purchasing behavior, allowing them to save money and consume less vice foods. However, for virtue foods, neither the anticipated post-consumption guilt nor the resulting need for justification lead consumers to prefer a bonus pack to a price discount. This study investigates whether product promotions remain effective with other moderating variables.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use pricing tactic persuasion knowledge (PTPK), which refers to the consumer persuasion knowledge of marketers' pricing tactics, as a lens to understand whether the power of these promotions could be enhanced or mitigated. The authors inferred that increasing the frequency of exposure to these foods could positively influence consumers' purchasing choices. They conducted three studies to examine these effects. In Study 1, using pearl milk tea (vice food) and sugar-free tea (virtue food), the authors contended that consumers would prefer a price discount when purchasing pearl milk tea, but a bonus pack when purchasing sugar-free tea. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors varied the participants' frequency of exposure to photographs of people in everyday situations with vice (virtue) foods.FindingsIn Study 1, PTPK was shown to be more predictive of consumer choices regarding price discounts and bonus packs. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors contended that increased exposure to vice (virtue) foods increases the selection of vice (virtue) foods by participants who were unaware of having been exposed to vice (virtue) foods.Originality/valueThis research has not only made quite managerial and policy implications for marketing but also brought the theoretical contributions for marketing researches. This research demonstrates that either for vice foods or virtue foods, a price discount is preferred to a bonus pack.

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