The matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging on product attitude. Issue 4 (7th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: He, Yuanqiong; Zhou, Qi; Guo, Shuojia; Xiong, Jie
• Is Part Of: Asia Pacific journal of marketing and logistics. Volume 33:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 974
• Page End: 993
• Publication Date: 2020-09-07
• Subjects: Anthropomorphized brand roles -- Product messaging -- Construal level theory -- Processing fluency -- Innovation locus; Marketing -- Asia -- Periodicals; Marketing -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Business logistics -- Asia -- Periodicals; Business logistics -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Consumer behavior -- Asia -- Periodicals; Consumer behavior -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; 381.095
• DOI: 10.1108/APJML-12-2019-0725
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1355-5855

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: This study aims to investigate the construal congruence of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging and its underlying mechanism on consumers' product attitude. Design/methodology/approach: Four experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 investigated the framing effect of anthropomorphized brand roles (servant vs partner) in consumers' minds. Study 2 examined the matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging on product attitude. 132 students were randomly assigned to a 2 (anthropomorphized roles: servant vs partner) × 2 (product messaging: higher-level construal vs lower-level construal) between-subject factorial design. Study 3 tested the mediation effect of processing fluency underlying the construal congruence mechanism. Study 4 replicated the results of study 3 and further examined the boundary conditions by introducing product innovation locus as a moderator. A total of 218 students were randomly assigned to a 2 (anthropomorphized role: servant vs partner) × 2 (product messaging: higher-level construal vs lower-level construal) × 2 (innovation locus: core innovation vs peripheral locus) between-subjects design experiment. Findings: The results demonstrate that a construal match between product messaging and anthropomorphized brand roles –anthropomorphized "servant" with higher-level construal messaging and anthropomorphized "partner" with lower-level construal messaging – can positively influence consumers' attitude via enhanced processing fluency. Furthermore, this construal matching effect on product attitude is moderated by the innovation locus of the product. Practical implications: This study reveals that anthropomorphized brand roles with compatible product messaging in the associated construal levels lead to more favorable product attitudes. Furthermore, the matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging is stronger for products with peripheral innovation than with core innovation. Originality/value: Our study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it provides new insights into the construal matching effect of anthropomorphized brand roles and product messaging. Second, it investigates the boundary conditions of the above-mentioned construal fit mechanism.