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The impact of hotel names on the evaluation of the hotels by customers prior to their stay was investigated. In general, hotels were rated higher on attributes consistent with the semantic associations of the name than on inconsistent attributes. This name effect was somewhat reduced-but still strong-when actual feature information was given, when consumers were explicitly told that the hotels bearing different names had exactly the same features, when consumers were provided with testimonials from former hotel guests, when consumers were informed that the name had changed in the past or would change in the future, and when the actual features were in with the image evoked by the name. The results corroborate the widely accepted assertion that consumers use brand names as diagnostic and legitimate search attributes. Most notably, the findings imply that the effects are robust and resistant to elimination. Four hundred clients of a travel agency participated in this research.

This theoretical-review article contributes to the discussion on individual energy savings by developing a hypothetical classification of interventions and linking them to sociopsychological factors affecting the transition points of four phases of behavior change (predecision, preaction, action, and postaction). It helps to segment a population into subgroups, clarifies the dynamic process for individuals, and groups examples of interventions to achieve substantial behavioral change. The generic integrative model presents © 2017. This manuscript version is made available under the Elsevier user license http://www.elsevier.com/open-access/userlicense/1.0/ 2 academic study designers and practitioners with a theoretical viewpoint and an orientation framework for their intervention designs. A systematic literature review of the empirical evidence for the model and interventions is presented. This blueprint of a model can be adapted, specified, further developed and implemented as a backbone for empiricallygrounded intervention design.

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ responses to emotional and normative communication in comparison with traditional informational campaigns promoting pro-environmental behavior in the context of biodiversity. By adopting the approach of likeability of the communication, the paper identifies which type of communication strategy is liked by consumers’ and which dimensions define likeability in the context of biodiversity. The goal is to improve the effectiveness of communication messages delivered by social marketers or public policy makers through a better understanding of consumers’ responses to different communication strategies. Design/methodology/approach – To investigate which communications strategies are perceived as likeable in the context of promoting biodiversity and to explore the dimensions that underlie likeability of the communication a qualitative study was conducted. First, the information design with the different communication strategies has been developed. Second, focused interviews with 25 individuals have been conducted. Findings – Results indicate that communication strategies using positive emotions led to most favorable responses. Further, findings suggest that informational strategies seem to result in positive attitudes when they tap on procedural knowledge. Favorable judgments are linked with communication strategies that create awareness or which are relevant and informative. Research limitations/implications – Further empirical research is suggested exploring consumers’ responses to communication strategies that combine emotions and facts. Practical implications – Based on the findings of this study, social marketers and public policy makers are recommended to use a combination of communication strategies that evoke positive emotions and provide consumers with the facts necessary to take action. Originality/value – The paper allows for an integrated view and contributes to an increased understanding of responses to communication strategies and provides valuable practical implications for social marketers and public policy makers.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply the sequential incident laddering technique as a novel approach for measuring customer service experiences. The proposed approach aims to correspond with the concept's theoretical foundation in the extant literature. Design/methodology/approach -The paper applies the sequential incident laddering technique to measure customer service experiences. The technique integrates two well-established methods in service marketing: sequential incident and laddering techniques. The data collected from 41 customers in a hotel and restaurant experience context illustrate that the method corresponds with the key themes of the proposed experience concept and experience formation process. Findings -Applying the proposed technique reveals first, the customer's cognitive and emotional responses to company stimuli. Second, the salient customer cognitions and emotions across several episodes of the service interaction process are identified. Third, the personal values which drive the customer's service experience are disclosed.Research limitations/implications -The empirical study is a first illustration of the proposed measurement approach in only one company based on a limited sample size. The methodological contributions and development opportunities for further applications are set out for different contexts and in combination with other methods. Practical implications -The proposed method integrates customer and company-related constructs. Therefore, the data collected can provide managers with guidelines for customer service experience design based on detailed customer feedback. Originality/value -The paper proposes an innovative measurement approach to customer service experiences which can support knowledge development in an important marketing area.

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