Anna R. McAlister

Preschool Children's Persuasion Knowledge: The Contribution of Theory of Mind

Two studies investigate the influence of developmental variables on the emergence of persuasion knowledge in children ages three to five years. Theory of mind (a form of social development) consistently explains a significant amount of variance in childrens persuasion knowledge. Theory of mind is a well-researched variable in the developmental psychology literature. This form of social development enables a child to understand the mental states of others and to use that mental state understanding to predict others’ future behavior. The results of the current study indicate that before theory-of-mind development, children are unable to recognize persuasion in advertising, most likely because they cannot think about the intentions of the advertiser. The findings are important to the development of child consumer literacy and contribute to the extant literature by demonstrating that developmental factors can explain how persuasion knowledge develops. The authors discuss theoretical, practical, and public policy implications.

Alcohol's Getting a Bit More Social: When Alcohol Marketing Messages on Facebook Increase Young Adults’ Intentions to Imbibe

This study investigates the effects of social media marketing of alcoholic beverages using a 2 (likes: low vs. high) × 2 (shares: low vs. high) × 3 (display ad type: alcohol ad vs. antibinge drinking PSA vs. local bank) × 6 (status update repetitions) experimental design. The study examines how evaluations of alcohol marketing status updates and display advertisements predict social media users’ intentions to consume alcohol, as a function of message virality and display ad type. Participants’ viral behavioral intentions (intentions to like, share, and comment on) for status updates were strongest in predicting intentions to consume alcohol, and this relationship was strongest when the Facebook status update had high likes and shares. The article argues that alcohol marketing on social media reflects a social norm of alcohol consumption, which leads users to consume more alcoholic drinks. Findings are discussed within the framework of persuasion theories and policy changes regarding regulation of alcohol marketing on social media.

Memory of Sponsorship-Linked Marketing Communications: The Effect of Competitor Mentions

Corporate sponsorship value is brought into question when false recognition of foils suggests confusion regarding true sponsors. While an indicator of confusion, recognition false alarms do not tell the entire story regarding memory for sponsor-event relationships. Two free recall experiments show relatively good memory for sponsors and also that under certain conditions, the mention of direct competitors can actually facilitate recall of true sponsors and events. The findings point to the importance of understanding the memory-based characteristics of measurement as well as to the memory-supported decision-making tasks that sponsorship information might eventually influence.

Between likes and shares: effects of emotional appeal and virality on the persuasiveness of anticyberbullying messages on Facebook

Growth in the popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook has been accompanied by unintended negative results (e.g., cyberbullying). SNSs could offer solutions, as well. In this article, we explore the persuasive effects of the emotional appeal and message virality of Facebook status updates. Using status updates for a fictitious anticyberbullying organization, we conducted a 3×2×2×3 (emotional tone × affective evaluation × viral reach × message repetition) mixed factorial experiment (N=365). Positive messages resulted in more positive message evaluations and stronger anticyberbullying attitudes and viral behavioral intentions. Further, low message virality led to the most favorable message evaluations, while high virality resulted in stronger anticyberbullying attitudes.

Redefining virality in less broad strokes: Predicting viral behavioral intentions from motivations and uses of Facebook and Twitter:

With the growing sophistication of social media, virality of online content has become an indicator of online message effectiveness. We argue for a comprehensive definition that extends virality to social networking and microblogging sites, by emphasizing users’ behaviors beyond shear access and viewership. Across two studies, we investigate viral behavioral intentions (VBIs) toward pro-social messages shared on Facebook and Twitter. We further explore how motivations and uses of Facebook and Twitter predict VBIs toward messages shared on these websites.

Collectible Toys as Marketing Tools: Understanding Preschool Children's Responses to Foods Paired with Premiums

Concern over obesity finds policy makers struggling to understand marketings role in food choice, but with a limited empirical base to inform them. Because food patterns established in childhood influence life-long patterns, toy premiums that may sway food preference are being questioned. The motivational pull of collectible toys is of particular interest in this discussion because repeated exposure to foods engendered by frequent purchases to obtain collectibles may establish food preference. Thus, Study 1 addresses the role of collectible toys as premiums accompanying food offerings. The authors show that these premiums influence childrens attitudes toward both unhealthful and healthful meal offerings. In Study 2, a choice task reveals that a healthful meal is favored when it is paired with a collectible toy premium and the unhealthful meal is presented with no premium. Findings are discussed in terms of providing an evidence base for policy decisions.

Event-related advertising and the special case of sponsorship-linked advertising

Corporate sponsorship is a valuable brand-building platform, typically leveraged by advertising and promotion. While advertising often ‘uses news’ to connect to meaningful events, sponsorship contracts create a special category of advertisers that have official rights to event affiliation. In fact, sponsorship-linked marketing creates two special categories of advertiser: those officially linked to the event and those that seek association with the event but have no legitimate link (i.e. ‘ambushers’). We examine the prevalence and nature of sponsorship-linked advertising (SLA) as a leveraging strategy employed by both sponsors and ambushers. SLA includes advertising that communicates a sponsorship link or tie, as well as advertising that demonstrates a theme that links to sponsorship. Two content analytic studies find extensive use of SLA by ambushers and true sponsors. We propose a diagnostic method to identify ambushing attempts. Practical implications for sponsoring brands, potential ambushing brands and policy makers are discussed.

Change in a Sponsorship Alliance and the Communication Implications of Spontaneous Recovery

As the marketplace for sponsored properties approaches saturation and sponsorship contracts come up for renewal, a new communications challenge has been born: spontaneous recovery of the previous sponsor. Changed sponsors may result in unwelcome recall of the previous alliance partner—unwelcome from the new sponsors perspective, that is. Presented here, a field study and an experiment confirm that spontaneous recovery of a past sponsor, while not arising immediately, does, over time, influence recall of the current sponsor. The pattern of memory found in this research presents new knowledge to the researcher and practitioner that can inform sponsorship decision making, implementation, and measurement.

From Clicks to Behaviors: The Mediating Effect of Intentions to Like, Share, and Comment on the Relationship Between Message Evaluations and Offline Behavioral Intentions

Advertisers and marketers are heavily investing in social media marketing in the hope that online engagement will lead to offline behaviors, however the likelihood of the success of this tactic is yet to be fully explored. The current study reports results of four experiments that investigate how the attitude–behavioral intentions relationship is mediated by intentions to like, share, and comment on persuasive social media. The results are mixed with regard to this mediating effect. Findings are discussed in relation to redefining persuasion models within the context of the new media environment and in relation to practical implications of valuing online behaviors.

Children's knowledge of packaged and fast food brands and their BMI. Why the relationship matters for policy makers

Studies regarding the advancing challenges of obesity in many countries are beginning to converge on the importance of early food exposure and consumption patterns. Across two studies (Study 1, 34 boys, 35 girls; Study 2, 40 boys, 35 girls, ages 3-6), child knowledge of brands offering products high in sugar, salt and fat was shown to be a significant predictor of child BMI, even after controlling for their age and gender and when also considering the extent of their TV viewing. Additionally, two different collage measures of brand knowledge (utilized across the two studies) performed similarly, suggesting that this measure may be serving as a surrogate indicator of an overall pattern of product exposure and consumption. Policy implications are discussed.