Effects Of Susceptibility To

Normative Influence And Type Of

Testimonial On Attitudes Toward

Print AdvertisingBRETT A. S. MARTIN, DANIEL WENTZEL, AND TORSTEN TOMCZAK

Apresentação: Gustavo Viegas

Background

Testimonials in Advertising

3rd most used

“workhorse selling tool”

Susceptibility to Normative Influence (SNI)

“… readiness to conform to others' expectations regarding

purchases, and the need to identify with others, or enhance one’s

image by acquiring products or brands” (Bearden, Netemeyer, and Teel

1989).

Research Hypotheses

Study 1 – typical person endorser

Effects of SNI, Testimonial Quality and Attribute Quality on Attitudes

H1a – High SNI + Strong testimonial quality

H1b – Low SNI + Strong attribute quality

Valence cognitions’ mediator effects

H2a – High SNI -> valence of testimonial thoughts = mediator

H2b – Low SNI -> valence of attribute thoughts = mediator

Study 2 – celebrity endorser “Study 2 tests the generalizability of the results found in Study 1 using a celebrity

endorser rather than a TP endorser.”

Study 1 – Hypotheses 1a and 1b

Study design

2 (High SNI, Low SNI) x 2 (testimonial quality:

strong, weak) x 2 (attribute quality: strong, weak)

Participants and product criteria

Independent variables

Dependent variables and covariates

Attitudes

Cognitive Responses

Covariates

Study 1 – Results – H1a

Manipulation checks were ok

Study 1 – Results – H1a

H1a check!

Study 1 – Results – H1b

Significant for Attitude toward the brand

Marginally significant for PI (p = .06)

Study 1 – Results – H1b

H1b partially check!

Study 1 – Hypotheses 2a and 2b

Mediation tested using path analysis (Baron and Kenny, 1986)

Valence of Testimonial Cognitions (VTC)

Valence of Attribute Cognitions (VAC) Positive – Negative testimonial/attribute thoughts

Valence cognitions’ mediator effects

H2a – High SNI -> valence of testimonial thoughts = mediator

H2b – Low SNI -> valence of attribute thoughts = mediator

Study 1 – Results – H2a

“The effect of testimonial quality

was reduced by 23% when VTCs

were included in the model for

Aad (β = .31, p < .01)”

H2a supported!

Study 1 – Results – H2b

“The effect of testimonial quality

was reduced by 23% when VTCs

were included in the model for

Aad (β = .31, p < .01)”

H2b partially supported!

Study 1 - Discussion

Evaluations of a TP endorser are influenced by consumer’s level of SNI

High SNI respond more favorably to strong testimonial quality

Partially mediated by valenced testimonial cognitions

Low SNI respond more favorably to strong attribute quality

Partially mediated by valenced attribute cognitions

Cue to Study 2 – what if the endorser is a celebrity?

Authors believed that High SNIs would be more influenced by this factor

Study 2 – Results

No significant

interaction!

Study 2 – Results – H1a/H1b

H1a and H1b

confirmed also for

celebrity endorser!

Study 2 – Results – H2a

“The effect of testimonial quality

was reduced by 25% when VTCs

were included in the model for

Aad (β = .24, p < .01)”

H2a also supported for celebrity

endorser

Study 2 – Results – H2b

“The effect of attribute quality on

Aad was reduced by 21% when

VACs were included in the model

(β = .27, p < .01).”

H2b also supported for celebrity

endorser

Study 2 - Discussion

No hypothetical interactions revealed on MANCOVA

Analysis by SNI level confirmed previous hypotheses

High SNIs influenced by strong endorsements, but only for brand attitudes

Low SNIs influenced by attribute quality across all dependent variables

General discussion High SNIs elaborate more than Low SNIs

High SNIs do get impacted by endorser

Low SNIs focus on product attribute

Contributions

Linking Normative Susceptibility to Testimonial influence on ads

Showing the low SNIs do not care for endorsers

Shedding light on the importance of style to High SNIs

Managerial implications

Know your audience!

Don’t spend on a celebrity if your viewers are High SNIs

Don’t use testimonials if your viewers are Low SNIs

Further research

Investigate why High SNIs evaluated TP endorser better

Limitations

Which other individual differences affect responses to testimonials

Strong vs. very strong testimonials

Reaction if other elements of marketing mix are included in advertising