The power of consumption-imagery in communicating retail-store deals

Nilüfer Z. Aydınoğlu and Aradhna Krishna

Journal of Retailing, 2019, vol. 95, issue 4, 116-127

Abstract: We show that subtle differences in textual marketing communications can impact the evocation of consumption-imagery, implicitly subsuming all the senses, which consequently affects consumer attitudes toward the communication and the product. Specifically, we demonstrate, through four experiments, that retail-store deals which communicate stronger association between products (“get matching shirt free”) are more imagery-evocative compared to those with weaker association (“get second item free”), thereby impacting consumer evaluations. We use literature on imagery, sensory perception, and information processing, specifically relational and item-specific processing, to build our hypotheses. We also provide evidence for how working memory capacity limitations disrupt imagery processing. Our results on effective communication of retail-store deals are even more crucial in today's digital marketplace where imagery is especially important.

Keywords: Consumption-imagery; Verbal communications; Price promotions; Associative cues; Cognitive load. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jouret:v:95:y:2019:i:4:p:116-127

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2019.10.010

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