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How category advertising norms and consumer counter‐conformity influence comparative advertising effectiveness
Author(s) -
Barone Michael J.,
Jewell Robert D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of consumer psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.433
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1532-7663
pISSN - 1057-7408
DOI - 10.1016/j.jcps.2012.07.001
Subject(s) - persuasion , conformity , advertising , comparative advertising , product category , psychology , product (mathematics) , social psychology , business , mathematics , geometry
Abstract Surprisingly little research examines whether and how category advertising norms influence the effectiveness of comparative advertising. To address this void, the present research investigates if the persuasiveness of a particular comparative advertisement depends on whether or not it is viewed as a typical tactic that conforms to category advertising norms. Results from experiments 1 and 2 indicate that a comparative advertisement used in violation of category norms results in a persuasion penalty that is evidenced by a reduction in the ad's impact on brand attitudes. This effect of category norms on persuasion is shown to be mediated by evaluations of the comparative advertisement's appropriateness in the product category. A final experiment confirms this persuasion penalty with respect to consumers holding conformity‐based motives. However, this penalty is found to be reversed for individuals seeking counter‐conformity in the marketplace, who respond more favorably to a comparative advertisement when it violates rather than conforms to category norms.