Effects of Self-Congruity and Source Credibility on Consumer Responses to Coffeehouse Advertising

Abstract

This study examines the impacts of self-congruity and source credibility (i.e., attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise) on consumer responses to coffeehouse advertising. This study tests the model and associated hypotheses based on responses from a sample of 403 participants recruited via snowball sampling. The result of the structural equation modeling reveals that self-congruity is a significant predictor of source credibility, and that the three dimensions of source credibility are important factors influencing consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions. The multigroup analysis shows that spokesperson type (i.e., celebrity vs. noncelebrity) moderates the relationship between self-congruity and source attractiveness. Further, this study finds that source credibility mediates the relationship between self-congruity and ad attitude. We discuss both academic and practical implications of these findings.

Benefits of matching consumers’ personality: Creating perceived trustworthiness via actual self‐congruence and perceived competence via ideal self‐congruence

“…Doing so enables us to examine the different effects of actual and ideal self‐congruence on perceived trustworthiness and perceived competence. In contrast, prior studies have solely examined the role of trustworthiness or the role of competence (or similar factors such as utilitarian value, functional value, and expertise), or they have treated credibility as a one‐dimensional construct (Dion et al, 1995; Gleim et al, 2019; Lou & Yuan, 2019; Nienstedt et al, 2012; Yoon & Kim, 2016). However, because actual self‐congruence is related to a smaller psychological distance and ideal self‐congruence is more strongly related to ideal skills, the constructs have different effects on perceived trustworthiness and perceived competence.…”

“…Utilitarian value refers to functional and practical benefits that are based on perceived performance and quality benefits (Aw et al, 2019; Sweeney & Soutar, 2001). Other studies support the positive relationship between self‐congruence and perceived performance and quality by showing that self‐congruence positively affects the evaluation of functional attributes and perceived expertise (see, e.g., Aw et al, 2019; Yoon & Kim, 2016).…”

“…Many studies have proven this bias evaluation effect (Choi & Reid, 2016; Karjaluoto et al, 2019; Kressmann et al, 2006; Sirgy et al, 1991). Furthermore, a better evaluation of functional/utilitarian attributes and perceived competence positively affects consumer behavior (e.g., satisfaction, commitment, and revisit intentions; Aw et al, 2019; Karjaluoto et al, 2019; Sirgy et al, 1991; Yoon & Kim, 2016). The positive effect of utilitarian and functional value on consumer behavior has also been supported in the context of influencers (see, e.g., Ismagilova et al, 2020; Lou & Yuan, 2019).…”

“…In addition to the positive effect on consumer behavior, studies have also examined the influence of self‐congruence on credibility (Ismagilova et al, 2020; Nienstedt et al, 2012) and its main dimensions, that is, perceived trustworthiness (e.g., Lou & Yuan, 2019; Yoon & Kim, 2016) and perceived competence, or similar outcomes, such as the evaluation of functional and utilitarian attributes (e.g., Kressmann et al, 2006; Sirgy et al, 1991). However, how the main dimensions (i.e., perceived trustworthiness and perceived competence/expertise) of perceived credibility are connected to actual and ideal self‐congruence and how they mediate the effect of self‐congruence on consumer behavior remain unclear.…”

Information quality, homophily, and risk propensity: Consumer responses to online hotel reviews

“…In a restaurant context, Yoon and Kim (2015) also imply that when consumers perceived that they have congruency with the information sources, it is more likely that the consumers will visit the restaurant and make orders. Following this discussion, it is hypothesized that when consumers perceive that the information sources in the hotel review have similar characteristics with them; consumers will have the intention to make a reservation at that hotel.…”