Favorable Brand Attitudes Research Articles

Is woke advertising necessarily woke-washing? How woke advertising and (mis)aligned corporate practices influence perceived woke-washing

Increasingly, companies practice woke advertising, thereby taking a public stand on issues of social justice. However, these woke advertising campaigns are often followed by accusations of woke-washing from consumers. This research investigates what makes consumers perceive that a company engages in woke-washing and how they respond to such perceived woke-washing. Through three experiments, we show that woke advertising in and of itself makes consumers perceive that the company engages in woke-washing, regardless of the actual corporate practices. We also find that perceived woke-washing leads to lower trust in the brand and a less favorable brand attitude. This effect is moderated by attitude toward social justice: The more in favor of social justice consumers are, the stronger the negative effect of perceived woke-washing on brand trust and attitude. In sum, woke advertising is a risky practice as consumers are likely to view it as woke-washing, which damages brand trust and attitude.

Roles of cognition demand and advertising literacy in advergames

PurposeTo determine the impact of advergame specific factors on players’ brand recall and brand attitude by conducting two experimental studies.Design/methodology/approachTwo 2 × 2 × 2 experiments were conducted in this study.FindingsIndividuals with high-cognition-demand reported superior brand recall for an advergame with prominent brand placements and low game-product analogy and a more favorable brand attitude for a prominently placed game with high game-product analogy than the low-cognition-demand individuals. Individuals with high advertising literacy reported higher brand recall but less favorable brand attitude for games with less game-rapidity but high product-involvement than those with low advertising literacy.Practical implicationsThe research outcomes are highly significant for the marketing specialists, as choosing a communication tool that best fits the advertised product with regard to the content of the media is a planning stratagem that has been broadly used by the media designers.Originality/valueThis research mainly adds to the literature of online advertising, exclusively the advergames by probing the impact of game-specific and gamer-specific factors on brand recall and brand attitude. Also, this study supports comprehending the moderating roles of cognitive demand and advertising literacy on players’ cognitive and affective brand responses.

Unveiling the Power of Storytelling: A Comparative Analysis of Consumer vs. Brand Narratives in Shaping Favorable Attitude Toward Brands Through Emotions and Cognition

Storytelling, as an interactive form of communication, is key to delivering product information compellingly and fostering consumer acceptance and engagement. Stories may originate from companies or consumers. Brand storytelling has emerged as a pivotal component of companies' communication strategies, facilitating the expression of values and fostering robust customer relationships. This study explores the effectiveness of consumer storytelling versus brand storytelling in shaping brand attitudes. It was an experimental research involving 384 respondents randomly assigned to two groups that were either exposed to consumer or brand stories. Through comparative analysis, consumer storytelling emerged as superior in eliciting positive brand attitudes, cognition, and emotions. However, its direct impact on brand attitude was not significant. Instead, the study uncovers the mediating role of cognition and emotion, highlighting their crucial influence on shaping favorable brand perceptions. Consumer storytelling, characterized by its emphasis on real values and emotional engagement, enhances cognitive personalization and imagery processing, fostering deeper consumer-brand connections. These insights underscore the imperative for emotionally resonant and cognitively stimulating storytelling in brand communication. This study contributes to the scant literature on examining the comparative effectiveness of consumer brand storytelling versus firm-generated brand storytelling. It elucidates the underlying mechanisms driving the superiority of consumer storytelling in shaping favorable brand attitudes. Contextually situated within the Pakistani market, particularly focusing on clothing buying behavior, this research offers actionable insights for brand managers seeking to harness the power of storytelling to garner favorable consumer responses and enhance brand resonance.

Assessing The Effects Of Product VS Country Image And Hedonic VS Utilitarian Messaging On Brand Attitude

This study aims to analyze the most effective strategy to obtain the most favorable brand attitude when promoting a brand. It examines the effectiveness of a product or country image, as well as the hedonistic and utilitarian message towards the brand attitude of a product. This study also includes the moderating effect of brand sustainability to observe the effect of a good or bad sustainability image on the brand attitude of a product. This study uses an experimental approach using a fictitious Swiss chocolate brand with either a hedonistic or utilitarian-focused message, followed by a display of a country or product image, as well as a sustainability report using the Chocolate Scorecard as a template. The participants are then given a set of four bipolar items before and after the sustainability report to rate the brand attitude of the product. The results show a non-significant relationship between hedonistic and utilitarian messages towards brand attitude, while it shows a significant relationship between country and product image towards brand attitude. The results also show that a sustainable label shows a similar positive impact towards brand attitude, while a non-sustainable label has a more adverse impact on product image compared to country image.

More the merrier: Effects of plural brand names on perceived entitativity and brand attitude

AbstractThis research finds evidence for a plural name advantage on brand attitude. Six studies, including two archival datasets with real market brands and four experiments using fictitious brands, show that brands with plural names (e.g., Dunkin' Donuts) are associated with more favorable brand attitude than brands with singular names (e.g., Dunkin' Donut). This plural brand name advantage is driven by perceptions of brand entitativity emerging from the collective reading of plural entities. However, the positive effect of plural brand names on brand attitude is attenuated in the case of premium brands. This research has practical implications for brand name strategy and makes a theoretical contribution by bringing attention to the under‐researched space of morphology in brand name linguistics.

The impact of “pinkwashed” alcohol advertisements on attitudes and beliefs: A randomized experiment with US adults

ObjectiveTo examine the impact of alcohol advertisements related to breast cancer awareness or charities (i.e., pinkwashed ads) on attitudes and beliefs. MethodsIn 2023, an online experiment randomized 602 US adults to view three pinkwashed ads for beer, wine, and liquor, or three standard ads for the same products. ResultsBreast cancer risk perceptions (average differential effect [ADE] = 0.03; p = 0.58)) and intentions to purchase the advertised product (ADE = -0.01, p = 0.95) did not differ by ad type. When informed about the link between alcohol and breast cancer, participants who viewed pinkwashed ads reported the ads were more misleading (ADE = 0.51, p < 0.001) and had stronger support for requiring alcohol breast cancer warnings (ADE = 0.23, p < 0.001). The pinkwashed ads for beer (but not for wine or liquor) led to greater: perceived product healthfulness (ADE = 0.16, p = 0.03), perceived social responsibility of the company (ADE = 0.18, p = 0.02), and favorable brand attitudes (ADE = 0.14, p = 0.03). ConclusionsInforming the public about pinkwashing increases perceptions of misleadingness and support for alcohol policies. Policy implicationsExposing the industry practice of pinkwashing could be a promising theme for campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption and increase support for alcohol policies.

Telling more or less? The impact of blank-leaving narrative style on story immersion and brand attitude

PurposeBrand storytelling is an effective marketing tool. However, when choosing whether to tell more or tell less, it remains unclear which of these two narrative styles is most effective. This study aims to examine whether blank-leaving(less) leads to favourable brand attitudes and compares its effects on consumers’ story immersion, to non-blank-leaving(more).Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, a single-factorial design was used with 252 participants assigned at random to one of two narrative conditions: blank-leaving or non-blank-leaving. Study 2 replicated Study 1 and investigated the moderating role of implicit mindsets.FindingsThe results show that a blank-leaving narrative style increases favourable brand attitudes. Consumers present deeper immersion in the brand story that uses blank-leaving, as compared to non-blank-leaving, leading to a more favourable brand attitude. Furthermore, this effect is stronger for individuals with growth mindsets.Practical implicationsTelling the brand story using a blank-leaving narrative style is more effective in catching consumers’ attention than non-blank-leaving. In particular, a blank-leaving narrative is a good approach for targeting consumers who have a growth mindset.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to investigate and compare the effects of blank-leaving and non-blank-leaving narrative styles on brand attitudes in the context of storytelling marketing.

How humanlike is enough?: Uncover the underlying mechanism of virtual influencer endorsement

Social media and computer-mediated communication technologies have given rise to the emergence of virtual influencers and created a new digital landscape for online interactions. Although an increasing number of virtual influencers - computer-generated agents are developing partnerships with organizations and brands to connect with social media users, there is a paucity of research exploring the mechanism underlying the endorsement of virtual influencers. With an online experiment (N = 320), this study investigated the effects of using virtual influencers in branding. Particularly, we examined how variations in humanlike appearances affect two-dimensional anthropomorphism and para-social interaction in the communication process. In general, results showed that respondents perceived higher levels of mindful anthropomorphism and stronger para-social interactions with virtual influencers that had a more humanlike appearance, leading to more favorable brand attitudes and higher purchase intentions. No significant difference in branding effects was found between a highly humanlike virtual influencer and a real human. Additionally, the branding effects were not different between using a moderately humanlike virtual influencer and a highly humanlike one or a real human endorser via mindless anthropomorphism. Findings provide both theoretical and practical insights into using virtual influencers in branding.

Role of Self-Regulatory in Luxury Brands’ Social Media Advertising

Luxury brands are increasingly using social media messages as their ads to consumers. This paper investigates the impact of regulatory focus on brand attitudes after research participants viewed a luxury brand&amp;rsquo;s message on social media. The research question is whether promotion-focused consumers and prevention-focused consumers have different responses to messages that emphasize either innovation or tradition. Based on an online experiment, this research findings show that the framing of the message interacts with regulatory focus. An ad that emphasizes innovation yields more favorable brand attitudes than an ad that emphasizes tradition among promotion-focused consumers. However, this does not happen among prevention-focused consumers. This research provides theoretical implications and practical suggestions for industry practitioners.

Show me that you are advertising: Visual salience of products attenuates detrimental effects of persuasion knowledge activation in influencer advertising

In the realm of social media influencer advertising, the organic nature of sponsored content can deceive users by concealing persuasive intent. Regulators seek to reinforce users' persuasion knowledge through sponsorship disclosure guidelines, while advertisers explore ethical tactics to prevent the adverse effects of users' ad recognition on the effectiveness of influencer endorsements. With the increasing prevalence of image-based content, the investigation of visual factors, such as the presentation of products, and their moderating influence on the effects of ad recognition becomes ever more relevant. However, previous research has primarily focused on textual factors. Building on congruence theory, we demonstrate that marketers can harness bottom-up attention induced by high visual salience to counteract the detrimental effects of users’ ad recognition. Our findings indicate that ad recognition undermines favorable brand attitudes, word-of-mouth intentions, and purchase intentions by diminishing perceived influencer integrity and enhancing post skepticism. These effects are alleviated when the visual appearance of sponsored products is highly salient in terms of brightness or color. Our work offers a simple yet effective image-based solution for marketers to mitigate ad-related skepticism and elevate the persuasive potential of influencer advertising in the visually-driven realm of computer-mediated communication.

Building brand engagement in metaverse commerce: The role of branded non-fungible tokens (BNFTs)

The development of the “metaverse” has created new opportunities for brands’ crypto marketing and metaverse commerce. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are blockchain-based digital assets that behave similarly to cryptocurrencies, and many brands participate in the metaverse by developing branded NFTs (BNFTs). Given the potential of this new market, practical issues associated with it, and lack of related research, this study analyzed the attributes associated with metaverse commerce using BNFTs. We used a stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model to examine how BNFT attributes can generate positive brand outcomes using text mining and structural equation modeling. We found that BNFT attributes (i.e., scarcity, financial value, prestige, uniqueness, originality, and communication consistency) promote a favorable brand attitude, which enhances brand commitment, BNFT purchase intention, and active engagement with BNFTs. Our findings indicate that brands can engage the rapidly expanding metaverse economy and use BNFTs to build long-term customer relationships.

Flattering Me in the Right Way: Exploring Language Use and Ethnic Cues in Localized Advertising Among Singaporean Consumers

Global brands have been experimenting with localized advertising strategies, such as using local languages, to build rapport with ethnic consumers. This study examines the assumptions of communication accommodation theory and offers new insights. Specifically, in a Singapore context that boasts two English language systems (i.e., standard English and Singlish), this study investigates how language variation in ad copy, the use of ethnic cues, and product type interact in affecting consumer responses. The results of study 1 reveal that, for a utilitarian product (laptop), Singlish ads (vs. English ads) are less favored by Singaporeans when ethnic cues also appear in the ads, whereas Singlish and English ad copy lead to equivalent levels of ad attitudes and brand attitudes when there are no ethnic cues. However, for a hedonic product (coffee), English (vs. Singlish) ad copy elicits more favorable brand attitudes regardless of whether ethnic cues are present in the ads. In study 2, we further test the interaction effect found in study 1 by adopting a different utilitarian product (office chair). Our findings of study 2 replicate the interaction effect between language use and ethnic cues on ad attitudes and brand attitudes found in study 1. The findings of this study yield theoretical and practical implications for global brands to design effective localized advertisements.

The Effect of Celebrity Endorsement on Young Consumer Purchase Intention in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of celebrity endorsement components (expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness) on brand attitude, brand loyalty, and purchase intention. This study looks at the elements of celebrity endorsements that influence young consumers' purchasing preferences in the Barishal region of Bangladesh. Methodology: The study model incorporates constructs from earlier literature that have been proven to have substantial relations with purchasing intention. A self-administered questionnaire has been used through an online survey to collect 205 data from young people aged 20 to 24. Additionally, SPSS has been used to analyze the data. Findings: The study demonstrates that celebrity expertise and trustworthiness significantly influence brand attitudes and brand loyalty. However, celebrity attractiveness is not much impacted by brand attitudes and brand loyalty. The study also demonstrates that brand loyalty is the most substantial influence on purchase intention. Practical Implications: The findings of this study will help producers, marketers, merchants, and advertisers figure out what traits of a celebrity contribute to a favorable brand attitude, brand loyalty, and buy intention. Originality: This paper empirically examines how different variables affect celebrity endorsement’s influence on the buying behaviour of consumers’ decisions of young customers. Research Limitations: In this study, the respondents are young, so the findings may not be applicable on a general basis.

Sequence matters: The interaction effect of scarcity appeals and exposure sequences

ABSTRACT This research presents the results of two empirical studies that address the interplay of ad exposure sequence (before vs. after) and scarcity appeal (limited-time vs. limited-recipient) on consumer responses. Using a 2 × 2 in-between subjects factorial design, the results demonstrated that the effect of scarcity appeals can be optimized based on the before and after placing of an item in the online shopping cart. When an ad promotion appears after the consumer adds an item to the shopping cart, a time-limited ad message is more effective than a recipient-limited ad message. Also, when an advertisement is shown independently before the consumer reaches the main website, a recipient-limited ad message produces a more favorable brand attitude than a time-limited ad message. The implications and limitations of these results were discussed.

Is VR game training more effective for hospitality employees? A longitudinal experiment

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) game training compared to both in-person demonstration and traditional video training. Combining the constructivist learning theory with the cognitive-affective theory of learning, the study designed a longitudinal lab experiment in the context of restaurant frontline worker training. The results showed that VR game training led to more favorable brand attitudes but less knowledge retention than the other two training methods, both immediately after training and four weeks later. The contradictory results might be explained by higher arousal elicited by VR game training, which has a negative mediating effect on knowledge retention. On the other hand, pleasure positively mediates the effect of training method on brand attitude and knowledge retention. In addition, intrinsic motivation showed a significant moderating role only in delayed effects of training. The study findings have significant implications for both academia and professionals.

The impact of Corporate Sociopolitical Activism (CSA) on brand attitude

Corporate sociopolitical activism (CSA), as an emerging marketing strategy, can lead to divergent consumer responses. However, there is limited empirical research investigating how the various elements of CSA can be incorporated to create compelling campaigns. To fill this void, this research examines two important, yet unexplored CSA dimensions, perceived issue novelty and perceived issue controversy, that affect consumer responses. Our findings indicate that novelty cues have a negative impact on brand attitude when consumers disagree with the company’s stance on the issue. Also, high controversy issues lead to less favorable brand attitudes. Perceived sincerity of the company’s motive to engage in CSA mediates the relationship between perceived issue controversy and brand attitude. This study adds to the growing literature on CSA by shedding light on the interplay between various CSA elements, thus guiding hospitality practitioners in executing effective CSA campaigns. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Social Media Marketing and Educational Institution Brand Awareness, Image, and Attitude

This empirical study seeks to elucidate the impact of social media marketing (SMM) on forming brand awareness, brand image, and brand attitude within the educational institution context. In pursuit of these objectives, data were collected through a survey involving 149 respondents comprising current university students and graduates in North Sulawesi. The analysis was conducted utilizing Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with SmartPLS. The study's results disclose significant and positive relationships between SMM and brand attitude, brand awareness, and brand image. Furthermore, it was found that brand image significantly influences brand attitude, while brand awareness plays a pivotal role in shaping the brand image. However, it was observed that brand awareness did not exhibit a significant positive effect on brand attitude. These findings offer valuable insights for educational administrators, underscoring the central role of social media in fortifying institutional branding. By comprehending the intricate interplay of these variables, institutions can strategically harness social media platforms to augment brand awareness, cultivate a positive brand image, and ultimately foster a favorable brand attitude. This understanding is critical for their marketing and branding efforts within an increasingly digital and globalized educational landscape.

An empirical investigation into the effectiveness of cost transparency: Evidence from apparel brands

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the impact of cost transparency on consumers’ perceptions of the brand and intentions to purchase its products. It also examines whether product-related attributes (product price and country-of-origin (COO) and consumer characteristics (socially responsible consumer behavior) moderate the effectiveness of cost transparency. Findings show that providing consumers with detailed cost breakdowns would lead to higher perceived quality and value and a more favorable brand attitude when compared to the conditions in which detailed cost information is not provided. The results also indicate that the cost transparency strategy is an effective way to generate a more favorable brand attitude, especially for lower-priced brands. Consumers who are more socially responsible in their behaviors perceived higher quality and expressed higher purchase intention for brands engaging in cost transparency practices. Theoretical and practical implications were also discussed.

Does Influencer–Follower Relationship Matter? Exploring How Relationship Norms and Influencer–Product Congruence Affect Advertising Effectiveness across Product Categories

This study examines how influencer–product congruence and relationship norms (i.e., exchange versus communal) between an influencer and followers affect consumer responses to influencer-sponsored ads. In Study 1, in a low-involvement product condition (sunscreen), we found that relationship norms moderate the effect of influencer–product congruence on source credibility and brand attitudes. In particular, if the influencer–follower relationship is perceived as exchange oriented, participants in an influencer–product-congruent condition perceive higher credibility of the influencer and thus indicate more favorable brand attitudes toward the influencer-sponsored ad than those in a noncongruence condition. However, if the relationship is communal oriented, influencer–product congruence does not significantly affect participants’ responses. Source credibility mediates the interaction effect between congruence and relationship norms on brand attitudes. In Study 2, we further examined how product involvement interacts with influencer–product congruence, as well as relationship norms. We found a significant three-way interaction effect among the three constructs, such that the significant moderating effect of relationship norms on influencer–product congruence is evident in a low-product-involvement condition but not in a high-product-involvement condition.

The Nexus Between Social Media Marketing Efforts and Overall Brand Equity in the Banking Sector in Bangladesh: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model

In the era of Marketing 5.0, crafting a favorable brand attitude and engaging consumers with a banking brand has become the most critical and challenging task for bank marketers to enhance overall brand equity. Previous research did not suggest how effectively social media marketing efforts enhance overall brand equity in the financial service sector. In response to this gap, this study aims to examine how social media marketing efforts (SMME) influence overall brand equity (OBE) through consumer brand engagement (CBE) and brand attitude (BAtt) in the banking sector in Bangladesh. Furthermore, brand trust (BT) is tested as a moderator of SMME and CBE. The data were obtained by a self-administered questionnaire from a total of 263 banking consumers in Bangladesh using a systematic sampling method. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate hypothesized relationships. The results indicated that SMM efforts directly influence CBE and BAtt. CBE and BAtt partially mediate the relationship between SMME and OBE. Moreover, the results confirmed the moderating role of brand trust on the link between SMME and CBE. The findings of this research offer significant implications for building overall brand equity in the social media marketing perspective, particularly for the banking sector.