The impact of utilitarian product reviews on brand perception
The impact of utilitarian product reviews on brand perception
Ben Libon (Ph.D. student), Haley, E., & Pittman, M. (2024). “The impact of utilitarian product reviews on brand perception,” paper accepted for presentation at March 2025 American Academy of Advertising Conference, Pittsburgh, March.
Abstract: The impact of online reviews on consumer behavior has been widely studied, especially with the growth of online retail platforms and increased internet research before purchases. However, limited research has examined how product reviews affect the overall perception of the brands selling these products. This study focused on high and low-involvement utilitarian products and analyzed how reviews affect consumers' brand perception. A sample of 301 participants revealed that star ratings significantly influenced brand perception, with low star ratings associated with poor brand perception and vice versa. The research showed that low-involvement products were more affected by star ratings, influencing future purchase intentions. For low-involvement products, a high star rating led to a willingness to purchase from the brand again, while higher-involvement products led to more research before purchasing from the same brand. These findings highlight the importance of building a strong brand image, as negative reviews can easily deter future purchases and affect brand perception.
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