Abstract: Given the increasing amount of public and government related attention devoted to issues surrounding e-cigarette use, the current study examined how disclosure source and content-publication fit in an ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery system) native PSA (public service announcement) affected consumers’ advertising recognition, brand attitude, attitude toward the publisher, eWOM (electronic word of mouth), and attitudes toward e-cigarettes. Study findings indicate that disclosure source had no effect on advertising recognition, which did not mediate the effect of disclosure source on outcomes. However, a disclosure source featuring the brand “Juul” in combination with high content-publication fit significantly and positively impacted advertising recognition, which in turn exerted a significant and positive impact on the indirect effect of a “sponsored content by Juul” disclosure via advertising recognition on all outcomes. These positive indirect effects were further strengthened among participants that self-identified as “ENDS only users” (n = 226) rather than “ENDS and tobacco users.” (n = 194) Study findings provide several theoretical and practical implications.
Tag: Consumer behavior
Pseudo-reviews: Conceptualization and consumer effects of a new online Phenomenon
Abstract: A pseudo-review is a type of online user-generated review (“review”) posted on an e-commerce website that often resembles an authentic review on the surface, telling an exaggerated story about alleged product use. However, while authentic reviews often include humor as a stylistic device to convey a genuine product evaluation, pseudo-reviews use humor to mock some product aspect. This research introduces, conceptualizes, and investigates consumer response to pseudo-reviews. Study 1 demonstrates that pseudo-reviews have little effect on product attitude when presented in isolation. However, in Study 2, when pseudo-reviews are presented together with authentic reviews, they negatively affect attitude and purchase intentions, but only to a limited extent, in that medium level incongruity (2 pseudo-reviews and 2 authentic reviews) ratings were lower than the control condition (no pseudo-reviews and 2 authentic reviews). The low level (one pseudo-review) and high level (four pseudo-reviews) incongruity conditions had no distinguishable effects on product evaluations compared to the control conditions. The paper discusses theoretical implications for schema incongruity and optimal stimulus level literature streams, as well as managerial implications for companies that seek to understand how to manage their online reputation given the growing importance and prevalence of user-generated content.
Stranger Danger? Cue-based Trust in Online Consumer Product Review Videos
Abstract: Trust is a significant factor in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effects. Consumers often need to form judgments about others using heuristic cues when they cannot rely on previous cumulative experiences with an online entity. Drawing on the theoretical construct of cue-based trust and signaling theory, this study aimed to identify and examine the efficacy of content attributes serving as trust cues in online consumer product review videos. A multi-method study conducted a series of focus groups and a survey study; focus groups identified 18 content attributes intentionally provided by a content creator in product review videos that serve as trust cues. In the focus groups and the survey, six of these content attributes emerged as heuristic cues that are particularly effective at eliciting consumer trust. Findings contribute to the understanding of cue-based trust and signaling theory in the eWOM context and hold practical implications for various stakeholders.
Trusting on a Whim? A Multi-method Inquiry of Cue-based Trust in Online Consumer Product Reviews
Abstract: Online, consumers often cannot develop trust through cumulative experiences with another party but must instead rely on heuristic cues for their trust formation. Drawing on the theoretical construct of cue-based trust and signaling theory, we conducted an online experiment as the final study of a three-study multi-method research project aimed to identify content attributes serving as trust cues in online consumer product review videos and evaluate and test their efficacy at eliciting consumer trust. The current study’s online experiment found that three of the trust cues elicited in a series of focus groups and an online survey (balanced information, establishing expertise, and reviewer appearing to be a genuine user of the product) were shown to effectively elicit consumer trust without any previous experience with the reviewer or brand. Findings contribute to the understanding of cue-based trust and signaling theory in the eWOM context and hold practical implications for various stakeholders.
Pseudo-reviews: Conceptualization and consumer effects of a new online Phenomenon
Abstract: A pseudo-review is a type of online user-generated review (“review”) posted on an e-commerce website that often resembles an authentic review on the surface, telling an exaggerated story about alleged product use. However, while authentic reviews often include humor as a stylistic device to convey a genuine product evaluation, pseudo-reviews use humor to mock some product aspect. This research introduces, conceptualizes, and investigates consumer response to pseudo-reviews. Study 1 demonstrates that pseudo-reviews have little effect on product attitude when presented in isolation. However, in Study 2, when pseudo-reviews are presented together with authentic reviews, they negatively affect attitude and purchase intentions, but only to a limited extent, in that medium level incongruity (2 pseudo-reviews and 2 authentic reviews) ratings were lower than the control condition (no pseudo-reviews and 2 authentic reviews). The low level (one pseudo-review) and high level (four pseudo-reviews) incongruity conditions had no distinguishable effects on product evaluations compared to the control conditions. The paper discusses theoretical implications for schema incongruity and optimal stimulus level literature streams, as well as managerial implications for companies that seek to understand how to manage their online reputation given the growing importance and prevalence of user-generated content.
The More You Win, The Less You Believe? An Examination of the Moderating Effect of Team Performance on Attitude Toward Message of Sport Fan’s Superstitions
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to revisit the Bud Light “Superstitions” campaign, for which we examined how superstitious fans’ inferences of manipulative intention might influence their responses to the sponsor’s persuasion attempt in the sponsorship-linked advertising (SLA). Given that team identification was robustly found to be a powerful predictor of a variety of fan’s superstitious behaviors (Wann et al., 2013; Wann & Goeke, 2018), the current study tested the moderating effect of perceived team performance on subsequent inference of manipulative intention and attitudes toward the SLA featuring superstitions. Data were collected by using a student sample (N=145). Multiple regression analyses were conducted on the model depicting the hierarchical relationships among sport fan superstitions, team identification, team performance, inference of manipulative intention, and advertisement attitudes (i.e., preference and credibility of advertisement). The findings revealed that sport fan’s superstition level was highly correlated with the level of team identification although the correlation was not moderated by perceived team performance. For those fans who had higher superstition level, they had a higher inference of manipulation intention after watching the SLA featuring superstitions although the SLA was more preferable and credible for them. Discussions are centered on theoretical and practical implications of channeling fan’s superstitions toward marketing effectiveness.
Stranger Danger? Cue-based Trust in Online Consumer Product Review Videos.
Abstract: Trust is a significant factor in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effects. Online, consumers often need to form judgments about others using heuristic cues when they cannot rely on previous cumulative experiences with an online entity. Drawing on the theoretical construct of cue-based trust and signaling theory, this study aimed to identify and examine the efficacy of content attributes serving as trust cues in online consumer product review videos. A multi-method study conducted a series of focus groups and a survey study; focus groups identified 18 content attributes intentionally provided by a content creator in product review videos that serve as trust cues. In the focus groups and the survey, six of these content attributes emerged as heuristic cues that are particularly effective at eliciting consumer trust. Findings contribute to the understanding of cue-based trust and signaling theory in the eWOM context and hold practical implications for various stakeholders.
The Role of Engagement in Travel Influencer Marketing: The Perspectives of Dual Process Theory and the Source Credibility Model.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the relative effects of travel social influencers (TSI)’ total number of follower and engagement level on consumers’ intention to travel to advertised destination and purchase the advertised product as well as their perceived credibility, expertise, and attractiveness. The results suggest that engagement becomes an important characteristic of TSI in determining the effectiveness of advertising messages delivered by them and their perceived attractiveness especially when consumers are skeptical about influencer messages. Meanwhile, TSIs’ total number of followers better predict the effectiveness of advertising messages delivered by them and their perceived expertise when consumers are not skeptical about influencer messages.
The Roles of Celebrity Endorsers’ and Consumers’ Vegan Identity in Marketing Communication about Veganism.
Abstract: Celebrities endorsing veganism may exert social influence on consumers’ attitude toward veganism and behavioral intention to become vegan. A between-subjects online experiment (N=303) examined the effects of consumers’ eating habits (meat eater versus non-meat eater) and celebrities’ vegan identity (altruistic motivation versus egoistic motivation) on various outcomes of health communication about veganism. Results of statistical analyses revealed a significant multivariate main effect of consumers’ eating habits on health consciousness, intention to spread electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) about veganism, and behavioral intention to become vegan. The results also reveal interaction effects between vegan celebrity endorsers’ motivation and consumers’ eating habits on health consciousness, intention to spread eWoM about veganism, and behavioral intention to become vegan. Additionally, moderating effects of source credibility, subjective norms, and identification with the vegan celebrity endorser were found. This study sheds some light on celebrity endorsements of veganism and effects of message framing on consumers’ veganism-related attitude and behavioral intention.
Brand Awe: A Key Concept for Understanding Consumer Response to Luxury and Premium Brands
Jooyoung Kim, Hyejin Bang (Grady PhD Alum), and William Keith Campbell (Forthcoming). Brand Awe: A Key Concept for Understanding Consumer Response to Luxury and Premium Brands. Journal of Social Psychology.
Abstract: In this study, we propose a new concept, brand awe, and explores its nature, underlying dimensions, and roles in relation to consumer responses. Brand awe is a specific mixture of emotions that consumers feel when they encounter a luxury or premium brand that they perceive to be vast and, thus, requires a schematic accommodation. Exploratory Factor Analysis (N = 205) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (N = 256) of the survey data based on fourteen brands yielded three dimensions of brand awe: Euphoria, Enthrallment, and Vastness. Results support the reliability and validity of the brand awe construct and the important mediating roles of brand awe between its triggers (i.e., prestige, luxuriousness, excellence, and innovation) and consumer responses.