Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to examine how product involvement moderates the effects of emotional appeals namely humor and endorsers on consumers' responses to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a 2 (Humor: humor vs. non-humor)×2 (Endorser: celebrity vs expert)×2 (Involvement: high vs low) factorial experimental design. Subjects were 420 allergy/asthma sufferers or non-sufferers attending a large Southwestern US university as undergraduate and graduate students. Findings: Results confirm that low involvement consumers demonstrate more positive responses than high involvement consumers toward prescription drug ads with emotional appeals. Humor or a celebrity endorser enhances ad and brand attitudes, brand recall, and copy point recall of consumers without medical conditions. However, an expert endorser is found to be more effective in improving ad credibility. A three-way interaction between humor, endorser, and involvement was evident indicating that the celebrity endorser and humor jointly generated more positive responses than other combinations of treatment group when product involvement was low. These findings clearly suggest that use of emotional appeals in DTCA does not influence attitudes and memory of target audience who are suffering from a condition. Originality/value: This is the first empirical study that examines the effects of emotional appeals namely humor and endorsers on consumers' responses to DTCA.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 23-38 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Mar 2012 |
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Keywords
- Advertising
- Direct-to-consumer advertising
- Elaboration likelihood model
- Emotional appeal
- Endorser
- Humour
- Product endorsement
- Product involvement
Cite this
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An examination of humor and endorser effects on consumers' responses to direct-to-consumer advertising : The moderating role of product involvement. / Limbu, Yam; Huhmann, Bruce A.; Peterson, Robin T.
In: International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, Vol. 6, No. 1, 01.03.2012, p. 23-38.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - An examination of humor and endorser effects on consumers' responses to direct-to-consumer advertising
T2 - The moderating role of product involvement
AU - Limbu, Yam
AU - Huhmann, Bruce A.
AU - Peterson, Robin T.
PY - 2012/3/1
Y1 - 2012/3/1
N2 - Purpose: This study aims to examine how product involvement moderates the effects of emotional appeals namely humor and endorsers on consumers' responses to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a 2 (Humor: humor vs. non-humor)×2 (Endorser: celebrity vs expert)×2 (Involvement: high vs low) factorial experimental design. Subjects were 420 allergy/asthma sufferers or non-sufferers attending a large Southwestern US university as undergraduate and graduate students. Findings: Results confirm that low involvement consumers demonstrate more positive responses than high involvement consumers toward prescription drug ads with emotional appeals. Humor or a celebrity endorser enhances ad and brand attitudes, brand recall, and copy point recall of consumers without medical conditions. However, an expert endorser is found to be more effective in improving ad credibility. A three-way interaction between humor, endorser, and involvement was evident indicating that the celebrity endorser and humor jointly generated more positive responses than other combinations of treatment group when product involvement was low. These findings clearly suggest that use of emotional appeals in DTCA does not influence attitudes and memory of target audience who are suffering from a condition. Originality/value: This is the first empirical study that examines the effects of emotional appeals namely humor and endorsers on consumers' responses to DTCA.
AB - Purpose: This study aims to examine how product involvement moderates the effects of emotional appeals namely humor and endorsers on consumers' responses to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a 2 (Humor: humor vs. non-humor)×2 (Endorser: celebrity vs expert)×2 (Involvement: high vs low) factorial experimental design. Subjects were 420 allergy/asthma sufferers or non-sufferers attending a large Southwestern US university as undergraduate and graduate students. Findings: Results confirm that low involvement consumers demonstrate more positive responses than high involvement consumers toward prescription drug ads with emotional appeals. Humor or a celebrity endorser enhances ad and brand attitudes, brand recall, and copy point recall of consumers without medical conditions. However, an expert endorser is found to be more effective in improving ad credibility. A three-way interaction between humor, endorser, and involvement was evident indicating that the celebrity endorser and humor jointly generated more positive responses than other combinations of treatment group when product involvement was low. These findings clearly suggest that use of emotional appeals in DTCA does not influence attitudes and memory of target audience who are suffering from a condition. Originality/value: This is the first empirical study that examines the effects of emotional appeals namely humor and endorsers on consumers' responses to DTCA.
KW - Advertising
KW - Direct-to-consumer advertising
KW - Elaboration likelihood model
KW - Emotional appeal
KW - Endorser
KW - Humour
KW - Product endorsement
KW - Product involvement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84858847496&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/17506121211216888
DO - 10.1108/17506121211216888
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84858847496
VL - 6
SP - 23
EP - 38
JO - International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing
JF - International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing
SN - 1750-6123
IS - 1
ER -