Current Issue Summary
June 2023 (Vol. 64, Issue 2)
The Advertisement Puts Me Down, but I Like It: Examining an Emerging Type of Audience-Targeted Negative Advertisement
Ads that are sarcastic or even derogatory to viewers take the spotlight in this article by Hongjie Sun (Hainan University, China), Yong (Eddie) Luo (University of Kent), Feifei Liu (Hainan University, China) and Ben Lowe (University of Kent). These ads, which the authors refer to as “audience-targeted negative advertisements” (ATNAs), appear to be most prevalent in Asia, for example, the tagline for Moonleaf, a Taiwanese milk tea brand, reads: “You’re already fat. You won’t get any fatter with another cup.” Or: “Feel dog-tired? Nah, dogs are not as tired as you,” an ad for UCC, a Japanese instant coffee brand, chimes.
The researchers conducted three studies to show that rather than offend viewers, these negative ads evoke empathy and can lead to positive responses. Study 1 explores audiences’ perceptions and feelings about ATNAs. Study 2 empirically distinguishes these ads from humorous ones and other negative ads, and Study 3 investigates when ATNAs are more likely to be effective for advertisers. Findings include practical guidance for advertisers regarding degree of negativity and product-type conditions, in which these ads are most effective. This includes that ATNAs:
- can “create positive audience perceptions, including being humorous, realistic and unique;
- “can convert negative messages into positive audience responses, such as empathy and perceived realism of the ad; and
- “are more effective with a moderate (versus high) degree of negativity and for low-status (versus high-status) products.”