Condoms and bananas: Shock advertising explained through congruence theory

Michael S.W. Lee, Felix Septianto, Catherine Frethey-Bentham and Esther Gao

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2020, vol. 57, issue C

Abstract: This research examines the impact of shock advertising on consumer brand evaluations, for both socially acceptable and controversial product categories. The intervening roles of brand familiarity, perceived incongruity and disgust are also investigated. Utilizing two experiments and drawing upon congruence theory, this research offers empirical evidence to demonstrate that: (1) when familiar brands are advertised using a shock advertisement, consumers will show less favorable evaluations towards brands in a socially acceptable product category as compared to controversial products, and (2) for familiar brands, the differences in consumer evaluations between a socially accepted versus controversial product categories is mediated by perceived incongruity and disgust (a serial mediation). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Shock advertising; Congruence theory; Unmentionable products; Socially acceptable products (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:57:y:2020:i:c:s0969698919314298

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102228

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