Persuasive social approval cues in print advertising: Exploring visual and textual strategies and consumer self-monitoring

This study focuses on exploring the persuasion effects of social approval cues in both visual and textual formats in print advertising. It also examines the moderation role of a consumer dispositional factor – self-monitoring orientation – on the effectiveness of visual and textual cues. Through a controlled experiment involving four versions of a fictitious ad, this study demonstrates that social approval cues in either visual or textual format can significantly increase consumers' brand evaluation and purchase intention. Furthermore, it shows that the effectiveness of social approval cues can vary across different combinations of visual and textual presentations, either enhancing or diminishing the overall persuasion outcomes. These observed effects of social approval cues occur only for high self-monitors, but not for low self-monitors. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in relation to advertising strategies and research.     

When open-mindedness lowers product evaluations: Influencers to consumers’ response to religious cues in advertising

Prior research has examined response to Christian religious cues used in secular marketing messages but has inadequately explored the underlying reasons for such response as well as why religious cues may negatively influence product evaluations. These limitations are addressed in this research work through three studies utilizing religious cues. In Studies 1a and 1b, ads with a Christian or Muslim religious cue (no religious cue) were found to produce lower (higher) product evaluations. Studies 2–3 then examined why religious cues in ads can produce lower product evaluations to show that open-mindedness moderated this effect (Study 2), and priming open-mindedness also influenced this effect (Study 3). Most interestingly, open-minded consumers were more negative toward religious cues in marketing communications than close-minded consumers, and priming open-mindedness magnified this effect. These novel effects are discussed in relation to the literature on open-mindedness and value-based consumption. Additionally, implications for research and practice are discussed.     

Making ads less complex,yet more creative and persuasive: the effects of conventional metaphors and irony in print advertising

Rhetorical tropes like metaphors and irony are widely used in print advertising. Current advertising literature assumes that these different tropes (metaphor, irony) are persuasive when they are sufficiently novel and complex to increase advertising elaboration. However, we propose that, in some cases, tropes can also be persuasive when they present conventional and concrete images of abstract product qualities. To test if conventionality can explain the persuasiveness of various tropes (metaphor, irony), we conducted a 2 (conventional metaphor vs. no metaphor) × 2 (conventional irony vs. no irony) multiple-message experiment. Results demonstrate that conventional metaphors are persuasive by reducing complexity and increasing creativity and ad appreciation. Conventional irony, in contrast, has little effect on persuasiveness. Thus, differentiating between various tropes (metaphor, irony) is important in predicting persuasion effects: advertisers should refrain from using conventional irony, but including conventional metaphors about abstract product qualities in print advertising is advisable.     

Mobile advertising to Digital Natives: preferences on content,style, personalization,and functionality

Digital advertising is the fastest growing form of marketing. Within digital, mobile is the fastest growing medium. Mobile advertising occurs on any mobile device, such as smartphones and tablets. The upcoming generation of Digital Natives is especially prone to viewing mobile advertising. Digital Natives have grown up with digital communications; they use their smartphones to connect with the world and make purchases. Mobile advertising and Digital Natives are both new to the marketplace and, thus, research is scarce on both. This paper investigates the preferences of Digital Natives regarding mobile advertising. Several preferences were found and recommendations are provided.     

Gender stereotypes in television advertising in the Middle East: Time for marketers and advertisers to step up

Gender stereotypes, which are particularly harmful to women, have historically been prevalent in advertising, prompting some governments and brands to regulate conventional gender portrayals. This study examines current gender portrayals in television advertising in the Middle East, and specifically in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), because of the increasing importance accorded to women’s empowerment in some of these countries. Building on similar studies elsewhere, we analyze the content of 111 distinct television advertisements aired over a week by a major TV channel in the region. Our analysis reveals that while depictions of certain aspects, such as role (familial/nonfamilial) and location (home/occupational setting), gently nudged traditional stereotypes by portraying women in nonfamilial roles and in occupational settings, depictions of background (female/male/children) and product type further reinforced traditional stereotypes. Based on these findings, we offer specific recommendations to marketers and advertisers in the region.     

Doing good matters to consumers: the effectiveness of humane-oriented CSR appeals in cross-cultural standardized advertising campaigns

This investigation contributes to the advancement of international advertising theory by developing a model of cross-cultural consumer responses to humane-oriented corporate social responsibility (CSR) appeals in advertising and by testing it using structural equation modelling with data from six countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, USA, and Chile). The model includes ad-, advertiser-, product-, and behaviour-related variables.

Based on survey data from 924 subjects, the model received support in all six countries which suggests that humane orientation is a favourable cultural dimension for advertising purposes, even in countries in which humane orientation is less highly valued. The higher the perceived degree of humane orientation in an advertisement, the more positive was the evaluation of the ad, and the more likely subjects were to evaluate the advertiser as being socially responsible. These two variables positively influenced attitudes towards the product and, consequently, behavioural intentions. Some support was found for a moderating influence of country on the relationship between perception of humane orientation in the ad and the evaluation of that ad and on the relationship between perception of humane orientation in the ad and perceived degree of social responsibility of the advertiser. Implications for the use of humane-oriented CSR appeals in international advertising are discussed. Results suggest that international advertisers may pursue a standardized campaign in multiple markets when incorporating humane-oriented CSR appeals. Limitations and directions for further research are addressed.     

Culture,cognitive style and consumer response to informational vs. transformational advertising among East Asians: Evidence from the PRC

Existing literature suggests that people's cognitive styles vary significantly across nations and cultures, and that East Asians emphasize holistic information processing and are more receptive to transformational advertising than people in the West. Yet, both theoretical rationale and empirical evidence of the effect of cognitive style on consumers' advertising responses are lacking. This study proposes a congruency-activation model and adopts a three by two experimental design to examine Chinese consumers' attitude towards different advertisements. The results indicate that Chinese consumers prefer transformational and integrated ads to informational ads under both low and high involvement conditions. Protocol analysis shows that Chinese consumers engage in more affective processing than cognitive thoughts. Thus, marketers should consider the effect of the cognitive style of indigenous consumers when devising international advertising strategies.     

Cultural Paradox in Advertising: Evidence from Finland

This study examines whether the use of appeals in advertisements can be attributed to cultural practices or values. A convenience sample and a survey method were used to collect data from professionals and students living in Finland. Results show that in Finland cultural practices are more hierarchical and masculine than Hofstede's cultural values. Furthermore, advertisers use significantly more high power distance and masculinity appeals than low power distance and feminine appeals. These frequently used appeals are associated with cultural practices rather than cultural values. These findings suggest that due to the value paradox, cultural practices explain the reflection of culture in advertising.     

Marketing of specialised products and services to consumers with disabilities: exploring the role of advertising,country-of-origin,and e-commerce

This article contains an exploration of the needs, preferences and concerns of consumers with disabilities (CwD) considering their acquisition of specialised products and services. An exploratory survey among 215 Italian citizens was carried out, all of whom are dealing with some type of disability. Quantitative and qualitative data were used to generate insight into CwD buying preferences and the difficulties associated with finding what they want/need. The results are presented under four main research issues: the consumers’ difficulty in finding the right product/service provider, the perceived degree of advertisement for products/services, the importance of the origin of the product/service provider, and finally, CwD willingness to buy products online. A number of practical implications and suggestions to improve marketing of specialised products and services to this target group are provided, which may help businesses to improve their economic success. The findings of this research may also help the CwD to improve their quality of life.     

Habitus,doxa, and ethics: insights from advertising in emerging markets in the Middle East and North Africa

The advertising industry influences culture through its pervasive messages that reflect and shape culture and through the role that advertising practitioners play as cultural intermediaries. As such, the manner in which advertising practitioners confront ethical issues is important. Drawing on Bourdieu's theory of practice, this paper examines how the perceptions, practices, and discourses of advertising practitioners in the Middle East and North Africa influence the advertising field's habitus and doxa. It demonstrates that understanding ethical problems is enhanced by examining them as macro, meso, and micro phenomena. However, that is not enough. Understanding how factors at the three levels interrelate, interact, and reinforce one another is critical to understanding the habitus. Underlying biases that shape the doxa can be explained by ideas central to behavioral ethics. A better understanding of the forces that shape the habitus and doxa with respect to ethics is key to moving toward a culture that encourages ethical advertising practices.     

Beyond the Return on Advertising: Elasticity of the Return on Advertising as a Diagnostic Metric to Maximize Profit

With increased marketing expenditures, managers need to be equipped with valid and reliable measures capable of showing links between marketing investments and a firm's profitable performance. In this paper we demonstrate that traditional return on advertising (ROA) can be a misleading metric if a firm's goal is profit maximization. Then, we introduce a new diagnostic tool: the elasticity of ROA and show how this metric can help marketing managers to choose more profitable levels of advertising. This new measure has the same virtues as other traditional measures of elasticity and provides real advantages over the conventional metrics.     

The role of cultural values in green purchasing intention: Empirical evidence from Chinese consumers

Environmental problems, especially in the case of water and air pollution, are the harmful result of the overconsumption of fossil fuels as well as various forms of industrial sewage water discharge. Recently, growing environmentally friendly purchasing behaviour of consumers has become regarded as an effective method for alleviating such environmental problems. Due to concerns regarding the natural environment, consumers have increasingly begun to exhibit favourable attitudes towards environmentally friendly products, and as a result, are more likely to purchase “green” products. However, green purchasing behaviour of consumers varies across different nations and cultures. This study aims to reveal how Chinese cultural values (specifically, the Doctrine of the Mean) influence green purchasing intention of Chinese consumers. As the lifestyles of consumers will be deeply affected by their cultural values, this study examines the mediating effects of the four dimensions of Chinese lifestyle have on consumers. At the same time, environmental knowledge is considered as a moderating variable in order to investigate the relationship between the Doctrine of the Mean and green purchasing intention. The study’s data were collected from Chinese consumers. Empirical results reveal that such Chinese cultural values are positively associated with green purchasing intention, and that three dimensions of consumer lifestyle (namely leadership, cost consciousness and development consciousness), are all found to play mediating roles in the relationship between the Doctrine of the Mean and green purchasing intention in Chinese consumers. The moderating effects of environmental knowledge are exhibited in the influence of leadership as well as development consciousness on green purchasing intention. The study’s findings have theoretical implications for understanding green purchasing intention as well as behaviour of Chinese consumers further. The study’s findings also present practical implications for how to promote green purchasing intention in Chinese consumers better.     

Consumer Response to Advertising Endorsers' Sexual Information: Western Individualism vs. Eastern Confucian Conservatism

Focusing on the cultural differences between the United States and South Korea, this study examines the moderating effects of advertising endorsers' gender (male vs. female) and intimate sexual information (i.e., premarital sexual behavior) on consumer responses to advertising. The results demonstrate that intimate sexual information of advertising endorsers was negatively perceived among Korean consumers but not among U.S. consumers. In addition, Korean consumers evaluated intimate sexual information of female endorsers more negatively than that of male endorsers, suggesting gender-biased processing. These findings provide several theoretical and practical implications.