The effect of mixed versus blocked sequencing of promotion and prevention features on brand evaluation: The moderating role of regulatory focus

We investigate if presenting a brand's promotion and prevention features in homogenous blocks (e.g., two promotion features followed by two prevention features — a toothpaste that freshens breath, whitens teeth, stops plaque buildup and prevents cavities) as opposed to alternating their presentation order (a toothpaste that freshens breath, stops plaque buildup, whitens teeth, and prevents cavities) affects brand attitude. We find that alternating feature presentation improves brand evaluation among promotion-focused, but not prevention-focused, consumers. In mixed presentations, since each feature physically contrasts with those near it (e.g., promotion features bracketing a prevention feature), the resulting heightened distinctiveness increases the perceived variety of a brand's benefits and fits better with the advancement goals of promotion-focused consumers. We report two studies that support our predictions.