What to Get and What to Give Up: How Different Decision Tasks and Product Types Affect the Persuasiveness of Promotion- versus Prevention-Focused Messages

• Published in: Psychology & marketing 2015-09, Vol.32 (9), p.920-933
• Main Authors: Ghosh Chowdhury, Tilottama, Micu, Camelia, Ratneshwar, S., Kim, Eunjin (Anna)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cognitive psychology; Information processing; Prevention; Sales promotions; Social marketing; Studies
• ISSN: 0742-6046; 1520-6793
• DOI: 10.1002/mar.20827

ABSTRACT Prior research has distinguished between ad message frames that are promotion‐focused (i.e., eager‐sounding and achievement‐oriented) and those that are prevention‐focused (i.e., vigilance‐hued and safety‐themed). In three studies, the authors investigate the relative persuasiveness of promotion‐ versus prevention‐focused messages in the context of different decision tasks (i.e., acquisition vs. forfeiture) and different types of featured products/attributes (i.e., hedonic vs. utilitarian). Studies 1 and 2 focus on message structures conducive to imagery‐based processing. The results show that promotion‐focused messages are relatively more persuasive than prevention‐focused messages in acquisition tasks than in forfeiture tasks in the case of hedonic products (and products with salient hedonic attributes). Relative persuasiveness of the two message frames is not affected by decision task in the case of utilitarian products (or products with salient utilitarian attributes). Study 3 uses message structures suited for analytical processing. In this study, interestingly, the relative persuasiveness of prevention‐focused (vs. promotion‐focused) messages is greater in forfeiture tasks than in acquisition tasks in the case of utilitarian products. Relative persuasiveness of the two message frames is not affected by decision task in the case of hedonic products. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.