Product design and hierarchized persuasion process: An application to three household electrical products

Abstract

Product design can be considered a communication tool that results in cognitive and affective responses. This research builds on MacKenzie et al.’s advertising persuasion models to determine whether the persuasion process induced by product design operates according to a hierarchy of effects, both directly through an affect transfer process and indirectly through product cognitions. The findings provide evidence of the existence of direct and indirect routes for both functional and symbolic beliefs. They highlight the effect of stylistic choices on consumers’ affective, cognitive and behavioural responses.