“I” or “she/he”? The effects of visual perspective on consumers’ evaluation of brands’ social media marketing: From imagery fluency perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study examined the effects of visual perspective in a brand’s Instagram content on attitudinal and relational outcomes. This study particularly addresses how viewers’ perceived point of view in an image (i.e. first-person versus third-person perspective) influences their information processing, and, in turn, fosters more desirable attitudinal and behavioral outcomes for the brands’ social media communication. This study conducted two main experiments using a single-factor (visual perspective: first-person versus third-person) between-subject design. Study 1 examined the effect of visual perspective on social media advertising outcomes (i.e. attitude toward the brand’s Instagram, self-brand connection, and intention of extended information search). Additionally, Study 1 investigated the mediating effect of imagery fluency on the relationship between visual perspective and social media advertising outcomes. Study 2 verified the external validity by replicating the findings of Study 1 using a different product, stimuli, and participants. The results of two experimental studies demonstrated that viewers’ mental imagery is enhanced more when a brand’s visual content on Instagram presents a product from the first-person perspective than when the same image is presented from the third-person perspective.