THE IMPACT OF ADVERTISING APPEALS ON CONSUMERS PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING. A STUDY ON THE ROLE OF ADVERTISING ATTITUDE AS A MEDIATOR

Abstract

Purpose The study examined the effect of emotional appeal, rational appeal and fear appeal on consumers’ psychological well-being with the mediating role of advertising attitude. Methodology The study has quantitative-deductive approach and explanatory type of investigation. The study has collected data from the FMCG consumers ofKarachi using survey methodology. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire has been developed as a data collection tool while nonprobability convenience sampling technique has been employed for the selection of the respondents from sample population. 266 valid responses have been gathered from the sample population and PLS-SEM using SmartPLS v3 has been used for data analysis including measurement model for validity and reliability of the model, and structural model for hypothesis-testing. Findings Results showed that emotional appeal has a positively significant effect on advertising attitude, whereas rational appeal has a positive but statistically insignificant effect on advertising attitude. However, fear appeal has a negatively significant effect on advertising attitude and lastly, advertising attitude has a positively significant effect on consumers’ psychological well being. Furthermore, advertising attitude positively mediates the effect of emotional appeal on consumers’ psychological well-being, whereas advertising attitude has a positive but statistically insignificant mediation between rational appeal and consumers’ psychological well-being. Lastly, advertising attitude negatively mediates between fear appeal and consumers’ psychological well-being. Limitations The first limitation ofthis study is that the target industry wasjust Pakistan’s FMCG industry. The utilization ofdata gathered from common consumers is the second restriction ofthis study. They might not accurately reflect other older and wealthier sectors ofsociety. This study was carried out in Pakistan, a country with distinctive social and cultural traits. Therefore, care should be used when extending the results to other countries. Implications Employing the synergistic principle in advertising operations can help businesses be more successful in influencing people to have a favourable opinion oftheir brand. Advertising tools should be convergent and stable components should be utilized in their designation. Integrating communication systems (advertising, sale promotion, public relations, personal selling, and direct advertisement) also benefits the client. Marketers should use the differentiation concept in their advertising campaigns. Never go with the flow. Businesses should use distinctive, innovative, and diverse advertising to stand out. To successfully sell their goods and services and win the public’s approval, managers and marketers must be conscious of the religious attitudes ofthe customers in their target market.