TY - JOUR

T1 - Examining the effect of group prototypes and divergent strength of identification on the effectiveness of identity appeals

AU - McGowan, Miriam

AU - Hassan, Louise

AU - Shiu, Edward

N1 - no embargo upon publication

PY - 2022/4/6

Y1 - 2022/4/6

N2 - PurposePast research argues that identity-linking messages must use established descriptors of the social group (i.e. prototypical identity appeals) to be effective. The authors show that less established descriptors (i.e. identity-linking messages low in prototypicality) can be optimal for an important customer segment, namely, for those that affectively identify with the social group. This is because of the distinct self-motives underlying the cognitive and affective social identity dimensions.Design/methodology/approachA pilot and two experimental studies were conducted, using gender and nationality as the target identities.FindingsConsumers feel more hopeful and have higher purchase intention for products advertised using identity depictions that fit with their predominant (uncertainty-reduction or self-enhancement) self-motive. Consumers predominantly high in affective/cognitive social identity prefer identity-linking messages that are low/high in prototypicality. An abstract mindset reverses these effects by encouraging a similarity focus.Research limitations/implicationsFuture work should identify potential boundary conditions of the findings. Further, all studies use ascribed social groups. Future work should explore whether consumers relate differently to different social group, such as achieved groups, non-human groups or aspirational groups.Practical implicationsAdverts using established descriptors of a brand’s target social group may no longer fit the brand’s positioning. Understanding when and when not to use less established group descriptors to market brands is important for practitioners.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research to explore the conditions under which priming consumers’ identity using less/more established (i.e. low/high in prototypicality) descriptors has a beneficial, or detrimental, effect on consumers’ purchase intention. In understanding these effects, the authors draw on consumers’ self-motives underlying cognitive and affective identification, a distinction not yet made in the identity-linking communications literature. The authors also explore the mediating role of hope – a central motivating emotion – in identity marketing.

AB - PurposePast research argues that identity-linking messages must use established descriptors of the social group (i.e. prototypical identity appeals) to be effective. The authors show that less established descriptors (i.e. identity-linking messages low in prototypicality) can be optimal for an important customer segment, namely, for those that affectively identify with the social group. This is because of the distinct self-motives underlying the cognitive and affective social identity dimensions.Design/methodology/approachA pilot and two experimental studies were conducted, using gender and nationality as the target identities.FindingsConsumers feel more hopeful and have higher purchase intention for products advertised using identity depictions that fit with their predominant (uncertainty-reduction or self-enhancement) self-motive. Consumers predominantly high in affective/cognitive social identity prefer identity-linking messages that are low/high in prototypicality. An abstract mindset reverses these effects by encouraging a similarity focus.Research limitations/implicationsFuture work should identify potential boundary conditions of the findings. Further, all studies use ascribed social groups. Future work should explore whether consumers relate differently to different social group, such as achieved groups, non-human groups or aspirational groups.Practical implicationsAdverts using established descriptors of a brand’s target social group may no longer fit the brand’s positioning. Understanding when and when not to use less established group descriptors to market brands is important for practitioners.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research to explore the conditions under which priming consumers’ identity using less/more established (i.e. low/high in prototypicality) descriptors has a beneficial, or detrimental, effect on consumers’ purchase intention. In understanding these effects, the authors draw on consumers’ self-motives underlying cognitive and affective identification, a distinction not yet made in the identity-linking communications literature. The authors also explore the mediating role of hope – a central motivating emotion – in identity marketing.

KW - Prototypicality

KW - Affective social identity

KW - Cognitive social identity

KW - Self-motives

KW - Hope

KW - Emotion

KW - Construal level theory

KW - Identity-linking messages

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-04-2020-0260

DO - https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-04-2020-0260

M3 - Article

VL - 56

SP - 817

EP - 839

JO - European Journal of Marketing

JF - European Journal of Marketing

SN - 0309-0566

IS - 3

ER -