Attitude Change & Persuasion

Retailing/marketing/CRT 10/11/12

How do stores get you to buy things?

How do they change your attitudes? How do they persuade you by utilizing sources? Who is sending the
message?

What is a source?

• A source is often a spokesperson in an ad

• E.g., expert, famous, attractive

What makes a good source?

• The source must be credible

• The source must have perceived expertise, objectivity, or trustworthiness
• Knowledge bias: the source’s knowledge about a topic is not accurate
• Reporting bias: source has the required knowledge, but the willingness to convey it is
compromised

Source attractiveness matters

• This influences the perceived social value of the source

• Physical appearance
• Personality
• Social status
• Similarity

Why does attractiveness matter?

• Halo Effect: people who rank high on one dimension are assumed to excel at other dimensions
• E.g., good looking people are thought to be smarter, cooler, and happier

Why use celebrities?

• Celebrities are often used as communications sources

• They capture our attention and are processed quickly by the brain
• This enhances company image and brand attitudes
• Match up hypothesis: celebrity’s image and product image should be similar
• Celebrity maladaptive behaviour can create negative associations with the brand

Comparative advertising

• The message compares 2 or more recognizable brands on specific attributes

• An ad does not just state that it is better than another brand
• It should not compare itself to a superior competitor

Emotional vs Rational Appeals

• Feelings-Based Ads
o They are liked better
 Attitude Change & Persuasion
Retailing/marketing/CRT 10/11/12

oCompanies use emotional strategies when consumers find no difference among brands,
e.g., greeting cards, cars
o Do not contain factual information
• Thinking Ads
o They convey new factual information
o Facilitate learning
o Requires effort
o Recall is better

Sex Appeal

• Product fit & relevance matters

• Cultural tolerance matters
• Erotic ads draw attention, but consumers may be less likely to buy the product or recall the ad
content

Humorous Appeals

• Humor is in every culture, but varies by culture

• Humorous ads get attention
• They are a form of distraction
• Mitigate negative emotions

Fear Appeal

• Emphasizing negative consequences that may occur

• Encourages behaviour/attitude change
• Effective when:
o Threat is moderate
o Solution is presented
o Source is credible
• Strongest threats are not always the most persuasive