Guilt in Marketing Research: An Elicitation–Consumption Perspective and Research Agenda

Abstract

Guilt regulates many consumption processes and, consequently, marketers frequently use appeals based on guilt to influence consumers' behaviour. Owing to the multidisciplinary interest in this emotion, however, the literature is diverse and fragmented. The effectiveness of guilt appeals is contested, and some authors suggest that the use of this emotion in marketing might be unethical. Furthermore, research to date has not explored the potential relationships between the experience of guilt in consumption and the elicitation of this emotion through marketing appeals. This paper analyses existing research on guilt in marketing, developing four specific contributions based on the evidence reviewed. First, it shows under what circumstances feelings of guilt support consumer self‐regulation processes. Second, it outlines evidence‐based managerial recommendations on how to produce effective guilt appeals and avoid the potentially unethical consequences of marketing through this emotion. Third, it identifies a gap in existing theorizing and presents an elicitation–consumption perspective of guilt in marketing as a framework that complements current approaches to this research topic. Fourth, it develops an agenda for future research and suggests eleven research hypotheses for the advancement of this field. Through the analysis of research produced within different disciplinary perspectives, this study develops a necessary foundation for future work on the role of guilt in marketing processes.

From elicitation to consumption: assessing the longitudinal effectiveness of negative emotional appeals in social marketing

“…In guilt research, scholars differentiate between anticipated (or anticipatory) guilt, reactive (or consequential) guilt and existential guilt (Lwin & Phau, 2014). While the first is experienced in relation to potential future outcomes caused by the individual's behaviour, the second is caused by the consideration of past behaviour harming the self or others (Antonetti & Baines, 2014;Cotte et al, 2005). Existential guilt occurs when an individual becomes aware of differences between their own level of well-being and that of others (Lwin & Phau, 2014).…”

“…A comprehensive literature review on guilt in marketing (Antonetti & Baines, 2014) analysed the moderating processes studied to date. The study confirms that guilt appeals can change consumer behaviour under certain conditions.…”

“…and issues of fairness (how fair is the behaviour?) (see Antonetti & Baines, 2014). Notice that appraisals need not be based on reflection but can be activated outside of awareness through intuitive processes (Kappas, 2006).…”

“…Guilt and fear appeals are common (Huhmann & Brotherton, 1997;Roberts, 2009) and have attracted significant attention from researchers (Antonetti & Baines, 2014;De Hoog, Stroebe, & De Wit, 2007;Witte & Allen, 2000). 1 Meta-analyses demonstrate guilt and fear to be able to change consumer behaviour (De Hoog et al, 2007;Floyd, Prentice-Dunn, & Rogers, 2000;O'Keefe, 2000).…”

“…The advancement of research requires a model integrating the analysis of how emotions are elicited by communications with the study of how the same intended emotions are experienced (or not) in later consumption. To fill this gap, we propose a new framework, extending the insights presented by Antonetti and Baines (2014), which offers a comprehensive analysis of the process by which negative emotional appeals influence behaviour. We explain how the model aids social marketers to develop more effective communications while simultaneously opening novel academic research perspectives.…”