The role of implicit learning in logo substitution

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 610-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafal Ohme ◽  
Christo Boshoff
Keyword(s):  
Implicit Learning ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Target Market ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
A Company

Purpose Some marketers have challenged psychologists’ contention that human beings can only learn by using conscious effort. They argue that advertising can be effective at low levels of (or even no) attention. Also, despite the absence of (or low levels of) consciousness, these subconscious responses can be linked to brands. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of implicit learning in the context of logo substitution – an image that may not look like the original logo, and may not even be consciously associated with the original brand or its logo. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by means of two quasi-experimental studies. Findings The results suggest that, thanks to implicit learning, logo substitution can be effective. Research limitations/implications One limitation was that data were collected from two relatively small convenience samples. Practical implications Logo substitution can be of value when a company faces a situation when advertising is banned or restricted, when the target market is saturated with marketing stimuli (clutter) and when there is a risk that aggressive advertising can lead to psychological reactance. The purpose of logo substitution would then be to unobtrusively activate mental representations closely related to the original logo. Originality/value The central contribution of this study is that it demonstrates how the principles of implicit social cognition, implicit learning and logo substitution can be used by marketers to overcome the undesirable and even adverse advertising circumstances they sometimes face.

Can donations be too little or too much?

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-296
Author(s):  
Marc Mazodier ◽  
Francois Anthony Carrillat ◽  
Claire Sherman ◽  
Carolin Plewa
Keyword(s):  
Charitable Giving ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Target Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Optimal Interval ◽  
Corporate Giving ◽  
Csr Image ◽  
Consumer Attribution ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Charities depend on giving behaviors of organizations to fulfil their purpose, whereas corporations seek to improve their image in return. Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to investigate optimal donation thresholds for organizations to enhance their corporate social responsibility (CSR) image. Design/methodology/approach Experiment 1 (N = 482) tests whether CSR image improves with donation amount up to the point at which it becomes excessive (H1) and whether this point differs between firms in a positive versus negative economic situation (H2). Experiment 2 (N = 432) examines the role of consumer attribution of firm motives through mediation of these effects (H3), while also exploring consumer donation expectations by testing an “undefined” amount. Experiment 3 (N = 400) validates the role of attributions through the moderating effect of motives. Findings The experiments demonstrate an optimal interval between inferior and superior donation amounts that maximize the impact of corporate giving on CSR image through the attribution of society-serving motives. Furthermore, the economic situation of the company alters these thresholds – higher donations are required to positively influence the CSR image when the company is in a favorable situation. Research limitations/implications This research answers a long-term call to provide more reliable tools on which to base charitable giving decisions. It also identifies perceived donating motives as the psychological process underlying consumers’ response to donation magnitudes. Practical implications The authors determine psychological donation thresholds by examining amounts perceived as insignificant in comparison to excessive and provide managers with an easy-to-implement method to determine optimal donation amounts from their target market. Originality/value By examining charitable giving at the micro-level, this research provides practical advice to companies on how to determine, ahead of time, how much to donate and what exactly to communicate in which economic situation.

scholarly journals Surprise! We changed the logo

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Grobert ◽  
Caroline Cuny ◽  
Marianela Fornerino
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Brand Attachment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Familiarity ◽  
Brand Values ◽  
The Impact ◽  
A Company ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of brand attachment and familiarity on perceived congruence between the logo and the brand. It explores the role of an under-researched factor, surprise, on perceived congruence in the case of a radical logo change. Design/methodology/approach A study was conducted with 220 students following a university logo change. Perceived congruence between the logos (old and new) and the school brand values was measured for two kinds of students, current and future (i.e. applicants). Findings Results show the importance of surprise in the acceptance of a logo change. Brand familiarity and brand attachment affect surprise in opposite ways, such that higher familiarity increases negative surprise, whereas higher attachment enhances positive surprise. Research limitations/implications This research used a school logo. Because schools represent a particular type of company, brand attachment to another type of brand could be different. The current model needs to be tested in different contexts. Practical implications Companies must pay special attention when communicating with their most attached consumers. In particular, companies that aim to change their logos must prepare for the change by relying on communications that can lead to positive surprise. Originality/value This study was conducted in a real context of logo change. It is the first study to focus on the link among familiarity, attachment and surprise when a radical logo change takes place within a company.

Hotel discount strategies on consumer responses: the role of involvement

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 284-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Hyun Lee ◽  
Billy Bai
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Intention ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the impact of hotel discount strategies on consumers’ emotional and behavioral responses in the presence of differential levels of involvement in discount acquisition. Design/methodology/approach – Discount strategies and the high- and low-involvement variables were fully cross-examined, yielding a 2 × 2 factorial quasi experimental design. In all, 120 surveys were collected, and multivariate analysis of variance was used for data analysis. Findings – The results suggest that fenced discounts that require consumers to accept restrictions to receive a discount generated more positive emotion and stronger behavioral intention. Moreover, an interaction effect was found between consumer’s involvement and discounts on emotional and behavioral responses toward discount-acquiring experience. Highly involved consumers resulted in more positive emotional and stronger behavioral responses (e.g. pride, gratitude, word-of-mouth and retention) from obtaining a fenced discount that requires consumers’ efforts or sacrifices. On contrary, consumers with low involvement tend to appreciate more of a fixed discount given to anyone without restrictions. Practical implications – Hotels should implement a fenced discount when they design discounts targeting at high-involvement consumers. For low-involvement consumers, a fixed discount appears to generate more positive emotion and stronger behavioral intention. Originality/value – The study enhances the theoretical understanding of consumers’ emotional and behavioral responses toward discount-acquiring experience with different levels of involvement.

Reducing skepticism about corporate social responsibility: roles of gender and agentic-communal orientations

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin P. Newman ◽  
Rebecca K. Trump
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Target Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
A Company ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Companies are increasingly emphasizing corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, consumers are often skeptical of the sincerity of companies’ CSR claims, particularly when the claim comes directly from the company. This paper aims to demonstrate how to reduce consumer CSR skepticism by examining the role of a company spokesperson’s gender and gender-related characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Two between-subjects experiments with a combined total of 329 participants examined how consumers’ levels of CSR skepticism are affected depending on the gender of the consumer and the gender and gender-related characteristics of the company’s CSR spokesperson. Findings Study 1 finds that a female (vs male) spokesperson generally elicits less CSR skepticism. However, Study 2 expands on this to demonstrate that consumers are less skeptical of a company’s CSR efforts when they are promoted by a spokesperson who exhibits gender-related characteristics that match, or are typically associated with, the individual consumer’s gender. Practical implications Brands often face difficulties in successfully promoting their own CSR efforts to skeptical consumers. These findings should guide companies and their brands in choosing ideal spokespeople for making effective, sincere CSR claims, depending on the target market. Originality/value This research is the first to identify the important role of gender in consumers’ perceptions of CSR sincerity. Thus, it provides practically-oriented strategies that may mitigate a growing consumer CSR skepticism that exists in today’s marketplace.

Visual storytelling on Instagram: branded photo narrative and the role of telepresence

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heejin Lim ◽  
Michelle Childs
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Media Communication ◽  
Visual Storytelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Narrative Transportation ◽  
Implied Motion ◽  
Social Media Communication ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The new focus of brand communication in social media has driven firms to develop the effective visual content strategy. In light of narrative transportation theory, this study aims to investigate the impact of a photo’s narrative elements on self-brand connection through viewers’ transportation and emotional responses. Additionally, this study tests the role of telepresence on Instagram in this psychological mechanism. Design/methodology/approach Using between-subjects experimental design, two experimental studies test the effect of implied movement (Study 1) and diverse narrative elements such as a character, implied motion for chronology and the relevant background (Study 2). Findings Results demonstrate that a single narrative element, i.e. implied motion, does not induce a viewer’s transportation to the presented image. Rather, the viewer’s transportation occurs as a function of complex and diverse narrative elements, such as implied motion and the background as a context. Practical implications Findings suggest that the concept of photo narrative should be taken into consideration in a visually-oriented social media environment. To increase self-brand connection, social media communication should be designed with diverse elements to promote viewers’ active simulation and create meaning to the branded photo story. Originality/value This study expands the theory of narrative transportation by applying it to a visual form. Additionally, this research investigates the effect of social media communication on self-brand connection; the findings of this study demonstrate that a major goal of social media communication is not to sell products but to strengthen consumer-brand relationships through branded storytelling.

Influence of social media posts on service performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Esmark Jones ◽  
Stacie Waites ◽  
Jennifer Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Upper Limits ◽  
Occupancy Rates ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Much research regarding social media posts and relevancy has resulted in mixed findings. Furthermore, the mediating role of relevancy has not previously been examined. This paper aims to examine the correlating relationship between types of posts made by hotels and the resulting occupancy rates. Then, the mediating role of relevancy is examined and ways that posts can increase/decrease relevancy of the post to potential hotel users. Design/methodology/approach Within the context of the hotel industry, three studies were conducted – one including hotel occupancy data from a corporate chain – to examine the impact of social media posts on relevancy and intentions to stay at the hotel. Experimental studies were conducted to explain the results of the real-world hotel data. Findings The findings show that relevancy is an important mediator in linking social media posts to service performance. A locally (vs nationally) themed post can decrease both the relevancy of a post and the viewer’s intentions to stay at a hotel. This relationship, however, can be weakened if a picture is included with the post, as a visual may increase self-identification with a post. Originality/value These results have important theoretical and practical implications as social media managers attempt to find the best ways to communicate to their customers and followers. Specifically, there are lower and upper limits to how many times a hotel should be posting to social media. The data also show many hotels post about local events, such as school fundraisers or a job fair, that can be harmful to stay intentions, likely due to the irrelevant nature of local posts to customers who are likely to stay in a hotel. National posts are seen as more relevant and likely to increase stay intentions, and the inclusion of a picture can help local posts seem more relevant.

Consumer perceptions of cobrands: the role of brand positioning strategies

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaywant Singh ◽  
Stavros P. Kalafatis ◽  
Lesley Ledden
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Positioning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Evaluation ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Cobranding is increasingly popular as a strategy for commercial success. Brand positioning strategies are central to marketing, yet the impact of perceptions of parent brands’ positioning on consumers’ perceptions of cobrand positioning has not been investigated. The aim of the present study is to fill this gap. Design/methodology/approach – Employing a quasi-experimental design, the authors create cobranding scenarios in three product categories (tablet computers, cosmetics, and smart phones). The data are collected via structured questionnaires resulting in 160 valid responses. The data are analyzed employing Partial Least Squares-based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), and consumer evaluation of cobrands is tested in relationship to the prior positioning of the parent brands, product fit and brand fit, along with post-alliance positioning perceptions of the partner brands. Findings – The results confirm brand positioning as a robust indicator of consumer evaluation of cobrands. Positioning perceptions of partner brands are positively related to cobrand positioning perceptions. In addition, pre-alliance positioning significantly relate to post-alliance positioning, confirming cobranding as a viable strategy for partner brands. Research limitations/implications – The paper recommends research that could reveal the impact of differential brand equities of partner brands, such as, between a high-equity brand and a low/moderate-equity brand, mixed brand alliances – product/service; service/service, and at different levels of partner brand familiarity. Practical implications – Managers should design cobrand positioning based on existing positioning perceptions of the partner brands, rather than focussing on product fit and brand fit. Originality/value – The study demonstrates the focal role of positioning strategies of partner brands in consumer evaluation of cobrands.

The effect of fellow customer on complaining behaviors: the moderating role of gender

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungjun Joe ◽  
Choongbeom Choi
Keyword(s):  
Service Failure ◽  
Joint Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complaining Behavior ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Same Gender ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Opposite Gender ◽  
Complaint Intentions

Purpose This paper aims to examine the joint effect of the focal customer’s gender and fellow customer’s gender in influencing voice complaint intentions and intention to convey negative word of mouth (NWOM). Design/methodology/approach Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two dining conditions (same-gender fellow customer vs opposite-gender fellow customer). Their intention to voice a complaint and to spread NWOM were measured after reading a scenario describing a service failure. A 2 (focal customer gender: male vs female) × 2 (fellow customer: same gender vs opposite gender) between-subjects quasi-experimental design was conducted to test the hypotheses. Findings The results demonstrate that female customers’ voice complaint intentions were significantly higher when a fellow customer’s gender was female rather than male. In contrast, regardless of the fellow customer’s gender, no significant differences in voice complaint intentions were found among male customers. The results further indicate that voice complaint intentions mediate the impact of a fellow customer’s gender on intention to spread NWOM among female customers. However, both female and male participants show equally high levels of voice complaint intentions in the context of fine-dining restaurant. Practical implications This study broadens the understanding of customer complaining behavior and also provides insights to practitioners on how to manage customers who are in same- and mixed-gender situations. Originality/value This research extends the literature on agency–communal theory and complaining behaviors by examining the role of a fellow customer’s gender influencing the focal customer’s intentions to voice complaints and to spread NWOM.

The buffering effects of CSR reputation in times of product-harm crisis

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeonsoo Kim ◽  
Chang Wan Woo
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Negative Information ◽  
Supportive Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crisis Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Full Factorial ◽  
A Company

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of prior-CSR reputation in protecting a company’s CSR reputation during product-harm crises and how it influences consumers’ crisis-related behavioral intentions (i.e. supportive communication, resistance to negative information and crisis resiliency). The authors test whether the impact of prior-CSR reputation differs by crisis type as well.Design/methodology/approachA randomized 2 (CSR reputation: good vs bad) × 2 (product-harm crisis type: tampering vs preventable) full factorial design in two industry settings (food industry and retail industry) with consumer samples was conducted.FindingsThe results revealed the determinant role of positive prior-CSR reputation in protecting reputational assets. A company with positive CSR reputation experiences no decrease in its CSR reputation during victim crises and fairly minor decreases during preventable crises. However, a company with a bad prior-CSR reputation experiences a greater decline in its CSR reputation across both crises; the level of decline during victim crises was as substantial as the decline experienced during a preventable crisis. The prior-CSR reputation directly affects consumers’ crisis-related intentions, and indirectly does so through post-CSR reputation. As post-CSR reputation becomes more positive, consumers display greater resistance to negative information, supportive communication intent and crisis resiliency.Originality/valueThis study advances the understanding of the role of corporate reputation during crises and provides additional empirical evidence of how the buffering effect of CSR can extend beyond product-related intentions among consumers. The findings can induce companies to adopt CSR programs more systematically and proactively under a long-term strategic plan.

scholarly journals Managing servitization in product companies: the moderating role of service suppliers

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Néstor F. Ayala ◽  
Wolfgang Gerstlberger ◽  
Alejandro G. Frank
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Service Oriented ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
A Company ◽  
Moderating Role

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study service innovation in product companies (servitization) by considering the relationship (moderation) between product companies and service suppliers.Design/methodology/approachUsing a relational view of the firm, the authors propose that there are three main business dimensions that product companies have to manage in servitization and that the support of service suppliers can moderate the effects of these dimensions on the benefits obtained from the product–service system (PSS) delivered. To test these hypotheses, the authors perform a cross-sectional quantitative survey in 104 Brazilian and Italian product companies.FindingsThe findings show that the three business dimensions are important for servitization while there is a trade-off decision regarding service suppliers’ support since suppliers act differently depending on the PSS orientation (product- or service-oriented).Research limitations/implicationsThe work is limited to the analysis of what should change in a company during servitization and the impact of supplier’s support. Further research is needed to complement this study by analyzing the process and context of the organizational change.Practical implicationsThe research contributes an understanding about how the benefits practitioners can obtain from servitization are strongly influenced by the support of service suppliers and how this influence depends on the PSS orientation of the product company.Originality/valueThis is one of the first quantitative studies to provide evidence of how service suppliers’ involvement affects different servitization business dimensions and the obtained benefits for both product- and service-oriented outputs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document