Message Appeals Research Articles

Multimedia tool as a predictor for social media advertising- a YouTube way

Multimedia has embraced the marketing industry with its innovative tools. Advertising as a part of marketing is not an exception. Social media is one of its tools which is growing with an accelerating speed and facilitating meaningful participation. YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google and is considered to leverage its features to provide nothing but the best to its users. Marketers of beauty products have also realized its potential and are using YouTube as a powerful marketing tool. The paper attempts to evaluate importance of YouTube as a multimedia tool. Content analysis of hundred YouTube advertisements of the beauty segment has been done to identify their critical success factors like Audio content (sound saturation, background music, loud and fast music, sound effects), Visual Category (No. of cuts, visual effects, intense imagery, slow motion, bold/ unusual colours), Content category (acted out, unexpected format, surprise ending), Message Appeals (Rational, Fear, Social, Youth, Statistics, Bandwagon and Celebrity Appeal) and viewers' response through the number of views and likes. Accordingly, a framework has been proposed that may be useful for the managers who develop promotional strategies for the organizations. AIDA model has been used to validate the framework.

Using Visual Metaphors in Health Messages: A Strategy to Increase Effectiveness for Mental Illness Communication

Depression is highly prevalent among college students. Although treatment is often available on university campuses, many stigma-based barriers prevent students from seeking help. Communication strategies, such as the use of metaphors, are needed to reduce barriers. Specially, the use of visual metaphors, as a strategic message design tactic, may be an effective communication strategy to increase message appeal and engagement. Using a 2-phase approach, this study first identified common metaphors students use to conceptualize mental illness. Messages incorporating conceptual and visual metaphors were then designed and tested to determine their potential in reducing stigma. Participants (n = 256) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions in a between-subjects experiment: messages with visual and textual metaphors, messages with straightforward visuals and textual metaphors, text-based metaphor messages, or a control group. Overall, metaphorical messages are appealing, the use of visual metaphors leads to greater message engagement, and messages based on conceptual metaphors have the potential to reduce stigma. The use of conceptual and visual metaphors in campaign design is an effective strategy to communicate about a complex health topic, such as mental illness, and should be considered for use in campaigns to reduce barriers for help-seeking behavior.

Regulatory Focus and Persuasive Sleep Messages

This study examined a persistent problem among young people across the nation: poor sleep habits. Using regulatory focus as a theoretical framework, this study evaluated components of persuasive sleep fear appeal messages. Specifically, the factor of regulatory focus is evaluated as a component in the processing of sleep deprivation fear appeals. After reporting regulatory focus and hedonic relevance information, participants (N = 306) read fear appeal messages and reported behavior intentions, message complexity, message derogation, persuasiveness, and agitation. Results show participants in a prevention focus, compared to those in a promotion focus, were less agitated by the message and were more likely to be persuaded by the message. Implications for fear appeals research and persuasive sleep messages are discussed.

Role of Message Appeal and Regulatory Focus in the Effects of Visual Perspective on Reactions toward Advertisements

Objectives: This research is designed to extend our understanding of the effects of visual perspective on advertising by incorporating verbal element in an ad and consumer characteristic. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Visual perspective, message appeal, and regulatory focus were employed as independent variables. As an experimental material four black and white print ads which were differed in visual perspective of images in an ad (first-person, third-person) x message appeal (private use, public use) were created. Regulatory focus was manipulated by making participants complete life survey. Findings: Extant research has suggested that visual perspective plays a prominent role in consumer persuasion. However, not much research efforts have been given to the role of the perspective of visual image in an advertising context. Firstly, this research demonstrates that perspective of visual image interacts with message appeal. Results showed that when visual image in ad was shown from the third-person (vs. first-person) perspective, the verbal message appeal of public use (vs. private use) revealed more favorable attitudes toward ad and product evaluations. Further, it was found that the participants’ regulatory orientation significantly moderated the interaction effects of visual perspective and message appeal. Hence, the interaction effects of third-person (vs. first-person) perspective and message appeal of public use (vs. private use) were eliminated when the participants’ regulatory focus was promotion-focus (vs. prevention-focus). Improvements/Applications: Practitioners should be cautious when determining the camera angles of ad images and consider the type of message appeal of an ad and the target audiences’ regulatory focus.

Characteristics of medication advertisements found in US women's fashion magazines.

Background: Although prescriptions are dispensed at discretion of medical professionals, many pharmaceutical companies use direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising to increase sales. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are similarly marketed. Methods: We examined the content of advertisements in 38 issues of 9 popular US women’s fashion magazines. We evaluated target audience, health condition, product availability, message appeal, target to females, and mention of potential side effects and benefits. Results: Sixty total medication advertisements were identified, 58.3% (95% CI: 45.8, 70.8) for prescription products. In magazines targeted to non-Hispanic Whites, >65% of advertisements were for OTC medications whereas 80% (95% CI: 66.7, 94.5) of advertisements found in Black/Latina magazines were for prescription medications. The rational appeal was used most commonly in non-Hispanic White magazines (75.9%; 95% CI: 60.3, 91.5). Emotional appeal was featured more often in prescription advertisements magazines (60.0; 95% CI:43.8, 76.2) compared to OTC (8.0; 95% CI: -2.6, 18.6). Conclusion: Although emotional appeal may be effective for selling medication to women, it often does not completely inform consumers of potential risks.

The role of message strategies in promoting eco-friendly accommodations

Purpose This paper aims to examine how different levels of message appeals, message sources and social norms influence the purchase (i.e. booking) intention of eco-accommodations. Design/methodology/approach The proposed hypothesis was tested using a 2 (message appeal; rational vs emotional) × 2 (message source; expert vs blogger) × 2 (social norm; injunctive vs descriptive) between-subject experimental online design. Findings Advertising appeals and social norms are major predictors of eco-accommodation’s ad effectiveness and message appeals, sources and social norms, and their classifications interrelate with each other. The highest intention to purchase an eco-accommodation was found for a promotional message, which is sent by an expert, expresses a rational appeal and includes a descriptive social norm. Perceived emotional value in contrast was increased with a blogger statement including an emotional appeal and an injunctive social norm. Research limitations/implications The used experiment only focused on one product, namely, eco-friendly accommodations. The impacts of different message contents might vary as a function of the promoted product. Practical implications To develop persuasive messages which combine all three message contents, experts should craft messages with rational characteristics and address a descriptive social norm. Originality/value Although consumers show a desire to buy eco-friendly tourism products, it seems that supply actually overweighs demand. As research in the field of eco-accommodations is still limited, this study examines the role of different combined promotional message contents to further clarify the apparent gap in green consumption.

Breathing clean air is Są’áh Naagháí Bik'eh Hózhóó (SNBH): a culturally centred approach to understanding commercial smoke-free policy among the Diné (Navajo People)

IntroductionIndigenous worldviews and research approaches are fundamental to make meaning of complex health issues and increase the likelihood of identifying existing cultural protective factors that have contributed to the resilience...

Developing Community Clean Air Public Service Announcements: A Typology of Message Sources and Appeals and Our Path Forward

Developing Community Clean Air Public Service Announcements: A Typology of Message Sources and Appeals and Our Path Forward

Tips from Former Smokers

Years of research on message design and effects provides insight regarding the most persuasive message appeals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content of the messages being presented in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Tips from Former Smokers campaign. A content analysis of persuasive message design features was conducted to critically examine campaign content. Campaign materials were coded for the presence of message variables including emotional appeals, evidence presentation, message framing, attitude functions, and source characteristics. Four independent coders analyzed 122 campaign messages, including video, print, and social media posts. Results from this content analysis indicate that the campaign contained more fear and guilt appeals, than other emotions. Evidence was typically presented in the form of a narrative from sources with firsthand experience. Suggestions for persuasive message design in large-scale public health communication campaigns are discussed.

The Impact of Cultural Characteristics and Message Appeals on Attitudes toward Anti-Secondhand Smoke PSAs : Cross-Cultural Comparison

This online evaluation study of anti-secondhand smoke messages investigated two related questions. First, to what extent do different message appeals ― norm versus threat ― have differential impacts on people from a predominantly individualistic culture compared to people from a predominantly collectivistic culture? Second, how do country-level and individual-level cultural orientations interact to affect attitudinal outcomes? Using a 2 (Culture: Individualism vs. Collectivism) × 3 (Message Appeals: Descriptive Norm vs. Injunctive Norm vs. Threat) between-subjects design, the study was conducted online among nonsmoking college students in the U.S. and South Korea. Message appeals were tested in ads that oppose secondhand smoke, a prominent health issue in both countries. There are two major findings. First, regardless of culture, norm appeals ― particularly injunctive but not descriptive norm appeals ― are more effective than threat appeals on behavioral intention. Second, people in an individualistic culture responded more favorably to threat appeals than those in a collectivistic culture, while no clear evidence was found on preference for norm appeals among people in a collectivistic culture. Regression analysis produced no evidence that individual-level cultural orientations of individualism or collectivism would affect the interactive relationship between country-level culture and message appeals for attitude toward ad or behavioral intention.

“Why Aren’t You a Sassy Little Thing”: The Effects of Robot-Enacted Guilt Trips on Credibility and Consensus in a Negotiation

Robots are becoming increasingly popular in social applications and have demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of contexts such as education, health, task management, and other complex cooperative roles. The purpose of this study was to examine human–robot interaction in a nonassistive environment: a negotiation scenario. Specifically, the authors examined what effect message appeals (guilt trip, no guilt trip) and robot agency (principal, agent) had on the negotiation outcomes and perceptions of credibility. Results indicated a significant main effect of agency and an interaction effect between agency and guilt messaging on perceptions of robot credibility such that participants rated a robot agent employing no guilt trips as more credible than one negotiating as principal or one utilizing guilt trips. Neither guilt nor agency had a significant effect on the overall concession of the negotiation task.

Cultural Orientation Affects Consumer Responses to Charity Advertising

I examined the different effects that source cues (in-group vs. out-group membership) and message approaches (rational vs. emotional appeals) have on the attitudes of consumers with individualistic and collectivistic cultural orientations toward charity advertising and donation intention. Participants (105 and 99 college students from Korea and the US, respectively) viewed a charity donation appeal advertisement, then rated their attitude toward the advertisement and donation intention. Results showed that compared with the individualistic U.S. students, collectivistic Korean students had a more positive attitude toward the advertisement and a higher donation intention when the in-group source cue and emotional message approach were used. In contrast, rational message appeals were more effective for U.S. students, and no significant differences were observed among this group regarding the in-group and out-group source cue types. My findings implied that charity advertising campaigners may need to use different approaches in terms of group membership and message approaches depending on cultural orientation, thereby motivating people to have a positive attitude toward charity advertising and donation intention.

Cultural variation in antismoking video ads between the United States, Taiwan, and China.

Antitobacco advertisement components, including types of messages and advertising appeals, have not been evaluated among multinational groups. This study identified and compared the content of antismoking video ads across three countries. We reviewed 86 antismoking video advertisements for the following information: severity of the consequences of smoking, types of risks, appeals to audiences' self-efficacy, benefits of not smoking, targeted social-ecological level and types of message appeal used. Two researchers independently coded each advertisement with an average inter-coder reliability of 0.79.Analyses showed a variety of focuses: smoking-related health risks (86%), severe consequences of smoking (54.7%), self-efficacy beliefs (40.7%) and benefits of not smoking (84.9%). Compared to the United States and Taiwanese ads, Chinese ads were more likely to target at the community level (10% versus 23.3% versus 47.2%). Additionally, 55% of the United States ads used the fear approach, whereas 61.1% of Chinese ads used the social approach. Taiwanese ads were evenly distributed among both approaches. In conclusion, the countries used different targeting strategies and approaches during message delivery. Although China's neighboring country, Taiwan, has many similar cultural aspects, including the same language, they are greatly influenced by US antitobacco campaigns. As a result, Taiwan's tobacco campaigns appear to have similar components to both China and the United States. Further research is warranted to understand the reasons for each method and to examine the effectiveness of the ads in reducing smoking rates.

What messages to post? Evaluating the popularity of social media communications in business versus consumer markets

Although social media usage in business markets continues to grow, managers still struggle with designing popular brand message posts. This research investigates the key factors that contribute to Facebook brand content popularity metrics (i.e., number of likes and comments) for Fortune 500 companies' brand posts in business-to-business (B2B) versus business-to-consumer (B2C) markets. Building on psychological motivation theory, the authors examine key differences in B2B and B2C social media message strategies in terms of branding, message appeals, selling, and information search. Using Bayesian models, they find noteworthy differences in the propensity of viewers to popularize brand posts. Specifically, the results indicate that the inclusion of corporate brand names, functional and emotional appeals, and information search cues increases the popularity of B2B messages compared with B2C messages. Moreover, viewers of B2B content demonstrate a higher message liking rate but a lower message commenting rate than viewers of B2C content.

A Study on Differences in Attitudes and Memory Effects according to the Regulatory Focus Tendencies of Facebook Users and the Types of Message Appeals

Background/Objectives: This study aims to empirically determine differences in memory effects according to the individual tendencies of Facebook business page users with regard to regulatory focus (promotion/prevention) and types of Facebook message (rational/emotional appeal). Methods/Statistical Analysis: To test the aforementioned hypotheses, this study used a 2 X 2 between-subjects factorial design. The two factors are the self-regulatory focus (promotion/ prevention focus) of subjects, and (2) the types of message appeals (rational/emotional). Thus, this experiment used a 2 X 2 between-subjects factorial design according to the self-regulatory focus (promotion vs. prevention focus) of subjects and the types of message appeals (rational/emotional), and conducted the analysis using Two-Way MANOVA. It is considered more valid to conduct MANOVA than repeating ANOVA for each dependent variable since it is grounded on relationships among dependent variables. Findings: First, emotional messages generated greater brand attitudes and memory effects among promotion-focused Facebook users. Second, prevention-focused Facebook users showed relatively high brand attitudes, with no difference between rational and emotional appeals. However, the memory effect was greater for emotional messages. Third, promotion-focused Facebook users tended to remember evaluation-focused information more than attribute-focused information. Fourth, unlike promotion-focused users, prevention-focused Facebook users tended to remember attribute-focused information more than evaluation-focused information. These users engage in systematic or cognitive information processing. Since prevention-focused users protect themselves from negative consequences such as risk or loss and try to increase their safety, they are extremely careful in their decision-making process. This motivates them to closely examine the attributes of the experimental product and remember the functions and features to be used in decision making. Application/Improvements: Since such users perceive their surroundings positively and place a greater emphasis on the benefits or achievements that can be obtained from products, they prefer emotional aspects in processing information on advertising models or other elements related to products

This May Come As a Surprise: How Prior Knowledge of Information in a Fear Appeal is Associated with Message Outcomes

ABSTRACTTwo related studies were performed aimed at finding if and how prior knowledge of threat and efficacy information in a fear appeal message is associated with message outcomes (attitude and behavioural intentions). the extended Parallel Process model (ePPm) (Witte 1992; 1998) served as theoretical framework for one study about a chlamydia fear appeal (n = 57) and another about an alcohol abuse fear appeal (n = 59). Findings from both studies suggest that prior knowledge of threat information is hardly relevant for readers’ reactions to a fear appeal message. Prior knowledge of efficacy information, however, proved to play a more important role, most often in a positive way. Findings from both studies furthermore suggest that the ePPm may be incorrect in assuming that individual differences – in this case, in prior knowledge – may only affect fear appeal outcomes in an indirect way, that is through different perceptions of threat and efficacy.

Investigating the impact of viral message appeal and message credibility on consumer attitude toward the brand

Abstract Due to the rapid growth of the Internet and use of e-commerce in the recent years, viral marketing has drawn the attention of manufacturing and service organizations. However, no research has been conducted to examine the impact of message appeal and message source credibility on consumers’ attitude with mediating role of intellectual involvement of consumers and their risk taking level. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of appeal and message source credibility on consumers’ attitude with mediating role of consumers’ intellectual involvement and their risk taking level. The population of this study includes consumers of mobile phones (Samsung, Sony, Nokia, LG and iPhone) in the Bushehr city (Iran). As the population of the study is unlimited, 430 questionnaires were distributed using available sampling method, and 391 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Using structural equation modeling, we analysed the data through smart PLS software. The results show that the appeal and credibility of the message source impact the consumer attitudes toward the brand. We also found that the intellectual involvement of consumers plays the mediating role in the relationship between message appeal and consumer attitudes toward brands. In the relationship between message source credibility and customer attitude towards the brand, the level of risk taking of people has no mediating role.

친사회성 정책홍보 메시지의 소구유형이 정책수용에 미치는 영향

본 연구는 물부족이나 환경오염 방지와 같이 정책이 미치는 개인적인 혜택이 매우 추상적일 뿐 아니라 혜택의 수혜에 장기간이 걸리기 때문에 정책PR 메시지가 개인에 대한 이익을 넘어 다른 사람들과 사회를 위하는 친사회성을 강조해야 할 때, 메시지 유형에 따른 효과차이를 보고자 하였다. 즉 이성적 소구와 감성적 소구가 정책수용에 미치는 영향에는 어떤 차이가 있는지, 그 과정에서 정부 신뢰도, 관여도, 그리고 인구통계학적 요인이 어떤 역할을 하는지 살펴보았다. 연구 결과, 메시지 소구유형과 정부 신뢰도는 상호작용 효과를 보였다. 즉 정부 신뢰도가 높은 경우에는 감성적 소구가 정책수용에 더 효과가 크고, 정부 신뢰도가 낮은 경우에는 이성적 소구가 더 효과가 컸다. 관여도의 경우 정책수용효과에 미치는 주효과는 발견되었으나 메시지 유형과의 상호작용 효과는 없는 것으로 나타났다. 인구통계학적 요인 역시 소구유형과의 상호작용은 발견되지 않았으나, 성별은 정책수용에 대한 태도와 행동의도에, 연령은 행동의도에 영향을 미치는 것으로 밝혀졌다. The objective of this study is to find out whether policy acceptance(attitude formation and intention of action) is affected by the message appeals(rational vs. emotional) when policy PR messages emphasize prosociality, and by various factors such as trust in government, involvement, and demographic factors as moderating variables. Although message appeals does not show any difference by itself, interaction effect is observed between trust in government and message appeals; the rational appeal is more effective to those with low trust in government while the emotional appeal is more effective to those with high trust. No other interaction effect is founded but involvement, gender, and age group show important main effect in policy acceptance; high-involvement group and female group are more favorable in attitude toward prosocial policy and behavior intention compare to the each of counterparts, whereas older group is more favorable in behavior intention.

친환경 제품의 광고 메시지 지향성이 제품구매의도에 미치는 영향 : 공적 자기 의식 수준과 시간적 거리감의 조절 변수 효과를 중심으로

친환경 제품의 광고 메시지 지향성이 제품구매의도에 미치는 영향 : 공적 자기 의식 수준과 시간적 거리감의 조절 변수 효과를 중심으로

참여형 기업사회공헌활동의 효과 : 대학생 자원봉사활동 참여어필 속성과 기업의 규모를 중심으로

참여형 기업사회공헌활동의 효과 : 대학생 자원봉사활동 참여어필 속성과 기업의 규모를 중심으로