The gluckschmerz effect of ad sponsorship in displeasing sports replays

Jaemin Kim (Ph.D. student), Jooyoung Kim*, and Jiwon Kim (Ph.D. student). (2025). “The gluckschmerz effect of ad sponsorship in displeasing sports replays.” International Journal of Advertising, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2025.2546179

Abstract: This study explored the role of gluckschmerz, a displeasing emotion triggered by someone else’s pleasure, in advertising processing during sports spectating. Results from 607 participants, using the contextual factors of rivalry, social rank (i.e. team rankings), and game suspense during instant replay video (IRV) in college football games, showed that hostility partially mediated the effect of malicious envy on gluckschmerz, which in turn influenced Aad-IRV and Ab-IRV. Additionally, gluckschmerz impacted advertising outcomes within the fan sample, while it did not affect non-fans. Among fans, the gluckschmerz’s impact on Aad-IRV varied by rivalry. However, no significant moderating effects of social rank or game suspense were found. These findings highlight how social emotions like gluckschmerz predict the outcomes of sports sponsorship and how team identification and rivalry moderate this relationship, offering valuable insights for both the media industry and sports sponsorship brands.