The role of anticipatory guilt in a non-durable consumer goods context

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a specific type of guilt appeal. The literature suggests that there are three types of guilt appeals. However the effectiveness of each type of guilt appeal is unclear. This study will investigate the effectiveness of one type of guilt appeal, namely anticipatory guilt appeal using a non-durable consumer good advertisement. The study explores the relationships between anticipatory guilt, attitude towards the brand, inferences of manipulative intent and purchase intentions. Results show no significant relationship between anticipatory guilt and purchase intentions. However, attitude towards the brand increased the likelihood of purchase intentions. The research suggests that anticipatory guilt appeals are inappropriate for the non-durable consumer goods advertisements. It raises an interesting question why so many advertisers are utilising this type of guilt appeal to target consumers. Managerial implications and future directions radiating from the results are discussed.