Kyeong Sam Min

Selling Hope: The Role of Affect-Laden Health Care Advertising in Consumer Decision Making

Consumers with serious illnesses may especially be attentive to and susceptible to the marketing communications of health care providers who offer hope and solutions. The purpose of this research is to examine the role of emotions in consumer health care decision making. Specifically, three studies investigate whether advertisements that induce hope engender trust and foster higher utilization intentions in consumers. Additionally, the effectiveness of testimonials, which often pervade health care advertising, is examined for its role in eliciting favorable evaluations toward the health care provider. Health care consumers, especially those with serious health conditions, may be considered vulnerable consumers. Implications for marketing to vulnerable health care consumers are discussed.

The impact of health-care service guarantees on consumer decision-making: an experimental investigation.

While examples of the successful use of service guarantees in health-care do exist, to-date, researchers have yet to examine this industry-specific application beyond a case study perspective. The results of this experiment begin to shed light on whether or not guarantees should be used, and if so, under what conditions are they appropriate. Respondents indicate that the thoughtful use of service guarantees can positively impact their perceptions of the health-care providers reputation and, ultimately, their behavioral intentions towards the same provider. However, consideration must be given to the type of guarantee being offered and to whom the guarantee is targeted.