The positive effect of contextual image backgrounds on fluency and liking

Purpose Two studies investigate how different structural properties of images – symmetry (vertical and horizontal) and image contrast – affect social media marketing outcomes of consumer liking and engagement. Design/methodology/approach In Study 1’s experiment, 361 participants responded to social media marketing images that varied in vertical or horizontal symmetry and level of image contrast. Study 2 analyzes field data on 610 Instagram posts. Findings Study 1 demonstrates that vertical or horizontal symmetry and high image contrast increase consumer liking of social media marketing images, and that processing fluency and aesthetic response mediate these relationships. Study 2 reveals that symmetry and high image contrast improve consumer engagement on social media (number of “likes” and comments). Research limitations/implications These studies extend theory regarding processing fluency’s and aesthetic response’s roles in consumer outcomes within social media marketing. Image posts’ structural properties affect processing fluency and aesthetic response without altering brand information or advertising content. Practical implications Because consumer liking of marketing communications (e.g. social media posts) predicts persuasion and sales, results should help marketers design more effective posts and achieve brand-building and behavioral objectives. Based on the results, marketers are urged to consider the processing fluency and aesthetic response associated with any image developed for social media marketing. Originality/value Addressing the lack of empirical investigations in the existing literature, the reported studies demonstrate that effects of symmetry and image contrast in generating liking are driven by processing fluency and aesthetic response. Additionally, these studies establish novel effects of images’ structural properties on consumer engagement with brand-based social media marketing communications.

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“…PF also mediates inconsistency's influence on liking and choice satisfaction. Maier and Dost (2018). Germany…”

Section: Areas For Further Investigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perfect social media image posts: symmetry and contrast influence consumer response

Kostyk

Huhmann

2021

EJM

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“…A positive bias is associated with mental imagery because people are more prone to evoke positive than negative outcomes; thus, associations with a positive valence are more easily accessible. In the context of advertising, studies show a positive bias of mental imagery elicited in radio ads (Bolls & Muehling, 2007) and websites (W. Lee & Gretzel, 2012) because consumers focused on the positive aspects of their imagination (Maier & Dost, 2018). In addition, Kisielius and Sternthal's point of view (1986) assumes that the availability of memorable information may enhance, undermine, or have no effect on imagery processing depending on the favorableness of the information.…”

Section: Brand Favorabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Brand-Evoked Mental Imagery: The Role of Brands in Eliciting Mental Imagery

Gavilán

Avello

2020

SAGE Open

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This research provides evidence of the role played by a brand in the stimulation of mental imagery. We anticipate that a familiar (vs. unfamiliar) brand will evoke higher levels of visual mental imagery in the consumer. In addition, if the consumer exhibits favorability toward the brand, the visual mental imagery evoked will be enhanced. Therefore, we provide evidence of the moderating role of brand favorability in the relationship between brand familiarity and visual mental imagery. Our findings suggest that brands are evocative and are able to enhance (or reduce) information processing and, thus, the generation of visual mental images that we name “brand-evoked mental imagery.” The results contribute to the literature on branding and mental imagery and have several practical implications for marketers.

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“…In addition, future studies could verify whether these effects are related to perceived pleasure or cognitive comfort when processing information (Duke et al, 2014;Labroo & Pocheptsova, 2016). However, despite the fact that dissatisfied customers may feel greater ease in their commercial evaluations (Claypool et al, 2015;Landwehr et al, 2017), they might not experience pleasure or comfort remembering negative commercial events (Maier & Dost, 2018).…”

Section: Limitations and Future Studiesmentioning

confidence: 97%