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The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition in Consumers’ Responses to Ads with Varied Claims

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The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition in Consumers’ Responses to Ads with Varied Claims

Gu, Hangyu (2019) The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition in Consumers’ Responses to Ads with Varied Claims. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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Abstract

The research focuses on how need for cognition impacts the relationship between ad claim variations and consumer attitudinal and behavioral reactions. The ad claims vary, in this study, in ad format (direct vs. indirect comparative) and message framing (one vs. two sided). What has been investigated is the main and interaction effects of the two constructs that vary ads on consumers’ responses under high and low need for cognition conditions. As most research that discusses ad formats’ effects focuses on the differences between non comparative and comparative ones, this research can fill the gap by exploring how direct and indirect comparative ad formats together with message framing differ in affecting consumers’ responses. Furthermore, the research also investigates how high and low need for cognition consumers process advertising information to make their evaluations by observing the mediating role of their information processing mode in need for cognition levels and attitude certainty, which also impacts their behavioral consequences such as purchase intentions.
The research findings show that message framing has main effects on participants’ responses whereas ad format does not. There are no interaction effects of need for cognition and ad format/message framing on participants’ responses, and information processing mode plays a very important role in their attitudinal and conative reactions. Its’ importance is evidenced by the proposed mediation effect in which it acts a mediator and its relationship with attitude certainty and purchase intentions. These findings reinforce some past relevant studies. Some major managerial implications include a reminder of valuing how consumers process information for ad design and of considering some other factors (e.g. willingness to try a new brand) that may affect consumers’ attitude more than need for cognition and ad format.
Keywords: need for cognition, ad format, message framing, information processing mode, attitude certainty, ad and brand attitude, purchase intention

Divisions:Concordia University > John Molson School of Business > Marketing
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Gu, Hangyu
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M. Sc.
Program:Administration (Marketing option)
Date:22 March 2019
Thesis Supervisor(s):Laroche, Michel
Keywords:need for cognition, ad format, message framing, information processing mode, attitude certainty, ad and brand attitude, purchase intention
ID Code:985122
Deposited By: HANGYU GU
Deposited On:23 Jun 2021 15:46
Last Modified:23 Jun 2021 15:46

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