Sinfully decadent: priming effects of immoral advertising symbols on indulgence

Ilicic, Jasmina; Brennan, Stacey; Kulczynski, Alicia

doi:10.1007/s11002-020-09544-6

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…Thus, to decrease vaping behaviors, it may be most effective for marketing campaigns to utilize morality‐based messaging rather than just highlighting the harmful effects or social consequences of vaping, which current anti‐vaping messages use (Food and Drug Administration, 2019a). Morality‐based messaging has been shown to be effective in a variety of contexts ranging from encouraging sustainable behaviors (Wolsko et al, 2016) to reducing discrimination (Feinberg & Willer, 2019) to promoting healthy consumption (Ilicic et al, 2021). In addition to understanding how a morality‐based message frame influences response to anti‐vaping messaging, it is also beneficial to understand why some consumers may be more responsive to such messaging than others, which we argue is rooted in religion because it is one of the most prominent source of moral values (Schmidt et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The missing role of moral values in anti‐vaping messaging

Minton

Gardiner

2021

Journal of Consumer Affairs

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Vaping‐related illnesses are on the rise. Various anti‐vaping campaigns have been launched, but these marketing campaigns may be missing a core component of the reason that consumers vape—consumers perceive vaping as more moral than alternatives. Our research builds off belief congruence theory to examine this conjecture and accompanying solutions through three studies. Studies 1 and 2 show positive relationships between vaping morality perceptions and vaping attitudes/behavior in addition to identifying religiosity as an explanatory factor. Study 3 then experimentally manipulated marketing messaging to show that morality‐based messaging was most effective at increasing immorality perceptions and decreasing positive affect toward vaping, particularly for higher religiosity consumers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The missing role of moral values in anti‐vaping messaging

Minton

Gardiner

2021

Journal of Consumer Affairs

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“…The clown was integrated into the packaging design on the left-hand side of the packaging. Following viewing the product packaging, participants were asked to indicate how much Crunchy Puffs cereal they would like to eat (none at all-a lot; Ilicic et al, 2021). Next, participants completed a ten-item emotional regulation scale drawn from Gross and John (2003;e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shake it off and eat less: anxiety-inducing product packaging design influences food product interaction and eating

Ilicic

Brennan

2022

EJM

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Purpose This research aims to introduce an anxious product-shaking effect, whereby consumers regulate the emotion of anxiety (i.e. anxious, nervous and jittery) elicited through product packaging design by shaking a product, which decreases eating intentions and behavior. Shaking product interaction as a result of anxiety-inducing product packaging design is introduced as a strategy to counter emotional eating, as an effective preventive measure of obesity. Design/methodology/approach Three laboratory studies (Studies 1–3) and one online study (Study 4) are conducted. Study 1 examines the effect of anxiety-inducing product packaging design on product interaction (i.e. shaking vs pouring). Study 2 investigates whether product shaking is a form of emotional regulation to anxiety-inducing product packaging design. Study 3 explores the effect of emotional regulation suppression (i.e. pouring) and facilitation (i.e. shaking) on eating behavior. Study 4 examines the moderating role of phobia severity on the effect of anxiety-inducing product packaging on emotional regulation and the downstream consequences on eating intentions. Findings Results demonstrate that the presence of anxiety-eliciting product packaging design results in shaking of the product (Study 1) as a form of emotional regulation (Study 2). Results from Study 3 find that emotional regulation facilitation (i.e. shaking) decreases eating, while emotion regulation suppression (i.e. pouring) increases eating. Results of Study 4 show that when exposed to anxiety-inducing product packing design, those with low phobia severity are less likely to regulate their emotions, which subsequently increases their eating intentions. Research limitations/implications This research is limited as it focuses only on product interaction and consumption of food products. Practical implications This research has important implications for marketers and product managers, as well as public policymakers, in encouraging responsible consumption behaviors in consumers. Marketing, product managers and policymakers should consider packaging design to introduce anxiety-inducing imagery on the packaging itself as a way to encourage shaking emotional regulation and to reduce eating, especially of unhealthy foods such as confectionary. Originality/value This research introduces and provides evidence of an anxious product-shaking effect that can reduce consumption of unhealthy food products. Anxiety-inducing packaging design strategy results in the emotional regulation of product shaking, which can reduce eating intentions and behavior.

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“…Limited research, however, has examined the influence of religious concepts on consumer perceptions and behaviors. Evidence from previous research suggests that mental activation of religious concepts, such as the words “prayer” and “bible,” can trigger negative “unpleasant” associations tied to sinful temptations, such as junk food (Laurin et al , 2012), and moral religious symbols in advertising, such as images of angels and heaven, can decrease indulgence (Ilicic et al , 2021).…”

Section: Conceptual Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Very limited research has examined religious priming in the consumption/marketing domain. For example, unpleasant associations are linked to junk food when consumers are primed with religious words such as “prayer” or “bible” (Laurin et al , 2012), and images of angels and heaven in advertising decrease indulgent behavior (Ilicic et al , 2021). These studies, however, did not specifically examine benevolent supernatural agent characteristics.…”

Section: Theoretical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Angelic brand name priming: saintly branded food influences brand healthfulness perceptions

Ilicic

Brennan

2023

EJM

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Purpose Consumers often use various cues such as health stars and nutrition claims on product packaging to draw inferences regarding healthfulness. However, much less is known regarding the role of brand names in consumer decisions around healthfulness. The purpose of this study is to introduce angelic branding as a brand naming strategy that may act as a supernatural agent benevolence (i.e. loving, kind and merciful) prime that leads consumers to perceive that the brand’s products are healthful. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 examines the effect of angelic brand names on brand healthfulness perceptions. Study 2 investigates the mediating role of brand virtuousness perceptions on the relationship between angelic branding and brand healthfulness perceptions and the downstream consequences on purchase intention. Study 3 explores the moderating role of authoritarian supernatural agent belief (i.e. angry, vindictive and punishing) on the relationship between angelic branding and brand virtuousness perceptions, and subsequent brand healthfulness perceptions and purchase intention. Findings The results of this study demonstrate that angelic branding results in healthfulness perceptions for a healthy product (i.e. vitamins; Study 1a), an unhealthy product (i.e. cookies; Study 1b; eliminating perceptual fluency as a potential alternative explanation for the phenomenon) and across different product categories (i.e. surface spray; Study 1c). The results from Study 2 find that angelic brand names prime brand healthfulness perceptions because of the activation of brand virtuousness perceptions (not brand quality perceptions; eliminating a general halo effect as a potential alternative explanation for the phenomenon). The results of Study 3 show that strong belief in authoritarian supernatural agents attenuates the angelic brand name–brand healthfulness priming effect. Research limitations/implications This research is limited, as it only considers angelic brand naming and not any other benevolence cues in brand logos, such as halos and angel wings. This research is also limited in that it only considers healthfulness perceptions drawn from English angelic brand name cues and from participants within the USA and the UK. Practical implications This study has important implications for brand managers in the development of new brand names. Angelic brand naming is suggested as a strategy for brand managers to prime perceptions of brand virtuousness and brand healthfulness and to influence consumer behavior. However, brand managers are cautioned against the use of this brand naming strategy if it is intended to mislead or deceive consumers, resulting in detrimental effects on their health. Originality/value This research makes a unique and novel contribution to the literature in brand names on consumer decision-making. Angelic branding is introduced as a brand naming strategy that can act as a supernatural agent religious prime to influence perceptions of brand virtuousness, brand healthfulness and consumer behavioral intentions (i.e. purchase intention).

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Sinfully decadent: priming effects of immoral advertising symbols on indulgence

Cited by 9 publications

References 35 publications

The missing role of moral values in anti‐vaping messaging

The missing role of moral values in anti‐vaping messaging

Shake it off and eat less: anxiety-inducing product packaging design influences food product interaction and eating

Angelic brand name priming: saintly branded food influences brand healthfulness perceptions

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