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Are Consumers Moved by a Crying Tree Or a Smiling Forest?

Effects of Anthropomorphic Valence And Cause Acuteness in Green Advertising

Chun-Tuan Chang, Hsiao-Ching Lee, Yu-Kang Lee
DOI: 10.2501/JAR-2022-024 Published 1 December 2022
Chun-Tuan Chang
National Sun Yat-sen University,
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  • For correspondence: ctchang@faculty.nsysu.edu.tw
Hsiao-Ching Lee
National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology,
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  • For correspondence: hclee@nkust.edu.tw
Yu-Kang Lee
National Sun Yat-sen University,
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  • For correspondence: yklee@faculty.nsysu.edu.tw
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Abstract

Rivers, lakes, oceans, volcanos, and forests are anthropomorphized by featuring them with humanlike facial characteristics or presenting a personified message. Whereas prior communications research has focused on comparisons between anthropomorphism and nonanthropomorphism, the current study proposes two types of anthropomorphism based on anthropomorphic valence: positive versus negative. Results of three experiments show that negative anthropomorphism is more persuasive for a sudden disaster but that positive anthropomorphism is more effective for an ongoing tragedy. Connectedness to nature is found as the underlying mechanism. Marketers should carefully frame the acuteness level of an environmental issue to complement the type of anthropomorphic valence in their advertisement.

  • Received December 1, 2021.
  • Received (in revised form) August 2, 2022.
  • Accepted August 5, 2022.
  • Copyright © 2022 ARF. All rights reserved.
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Vol 62 Issue 4

Journal of Advertising Research: 62 (4)
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Are Consumers Moved by a Crying Tree Or a Smiling Forest?
Chun-Tuan Chang, Hsiao-Ching Lee, Yu-Kang Lee
Journal of Advertising Research Dec 2022, 62 (4) 367-384; DOI: 10.2501/JAR-2022-024

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Are Consumers Moved by a Crying Tree Or a Smiling Forest?
Chun-Tuan Chang, Hsiao-Ching Lee, Yu-Kang Lee
Journal of Advertising Research Dec 2022, 62 (4) 367-384; DOI: 10.2501/JAR-2022-024
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • MANAGEMENT SLANT
    • INTRODUCTION
    • CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES
    • OVERVIEW OF STUDIES
    • STUDY 1: ANTHROPOMORPHIC IMAGE CHOICE
    • STUDY 2: ATTITUDES TOWARD THE PRODUCT AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR THE PRODUCT
    • Study 3: FIELD EXPERIMENT
    • GENERAL DISCUSSION
    • ABOUT THE AUTHORS
    • Appendix A Stimuli Used in Study 1
    • Appendix B Stimuli Used in Study 2
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