Michael Lwin

Effective advertising appeals for websites of small boutique hotels

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether rational and emotional appeals are more effective for small boutique hotel websites in Australia. Specifically, it assesses how attitudes towards websites, service expectations and attitudes towards boutique hotels will influence purchase intention under the two different types of appeals.Design/methodology/approach – Using a systematic intercept approach, a total of 249 useable data was collected in a large suburb of Western Australia. Results were analysed using t‐test and a series of multiple regressions.Findings – The results show boutique hotel websites that used emotional appeals performed differently to those that used rational appeals. Further analysis shows that emotional appeals evoked more favourable attitudes towards the website and attitudes towards the boutique hotel. In addition, websites that utilised emotional appeals were a stronger predictor of purchase intention.Research limitations/implications – The research focuses only o...

Pirating Pirates of the Caribbean: The curse of cyberspace

Abstract This study investigates the factors influencing the ‘illegal’ downloading of films and TV series through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. Specifically, it examines how social and ethical orientations and attitudes towards downloading impact on downloading intentions. The neutralisation theory and theory of planned behaviour are used to underpin the research framework. The data analysis of 284 usable responses produced several significant relationships. Facilitating conditions, social factors, collectivism, and personal moral obligation were found to predict attitudes towards ‘illegal’ downloading. Social factors, collectivism, personal moral obligation, and attitudes towards ‘illegal’ downloading were also found to influence intentions to download. The findings derived from this study will provide marketers and policymakers with strategic and managerial initiatives to counteract this persistent problem.

An exploratory study of existential guilt appeals in charitable advertisements

Abstract This study investigates the persuasive nature of existential guilt appeals in charitable advertisements. A television advertisement was used to test the direct and indirect relationships between existential guilt, attitude towards the charitable organisation, inferences of manipulative intent (IMIs) and charitable donation intentions. The findings show that attitude towards the charitable organisation has a direct and indirect impact on charitable donation intentions. However, IMI did not moderate the relationship between existential guilt and charitable donation intentions. The study suggests that future non-profit researchers should explore the role of emotional intensity and brand credibility on the effectiveness of each specific type of guilt appeal.

Charitable donations: empirical evidence from Brunei

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the demographic and psychographic characteristics of Bruneians in relation to charitable donation behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected via an intercept approach at five major intersections of the central business district in the city of Brunei. Data were analysed using SPSS, with factor analysis being conducted before applying a series of t-tests and ANOVAs. Findings – Overall there is no relationship between age, income and gender, and donating behaviour. Results show that perceived generosity does not play an important role in Brunei compared to previous studies. The cause of this phenomenon could be due to the influence of the Bruneian culture. That is, the government takes a large responsibility for charitable events in Brunei and for this reason charitable donations from citizens are limited. Analysis also showed the importance of religion in predicting donation behaviour. Research limitations/implications – Further research in this paper s...

Religiosity and Digital Piracy: An Empirical Examination

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine the relationship between religiosity, attitudes to digital piracy, and behavioral intention. A total of 400 questionnaires were completed by members of a Christian mega-church in Indonesia. Cluster analysis and MANOVA were employed to determine whether there are significant differences between the less religious, moderately religious, and highly religious respondents in their attitude to digital piracy and behavioral intention. This study provides empirical evidence that highly religious respondents have a stronger attitude against digital piracy and are more willing to stop purchasing pirated media compared to the less religious and moderately religious respondents.

Moderating role of religious beliefs on attitudes towards charities and motivation to donate

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between image of charitable organizations, attitudes towards charities and motivation to donate. In addition, the study will investigate the moderating effects of religious beliefs on attitudes towards charities and motivation to donate. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Trained interviewers employed a mall-intercept method in downtown Kuala Lumpur over both weekdays and weekends. The scales are adapted from established sources. Findings – It was found that religious beliefs moderates the relationship between attitudes towards charities and motivation to donate. In addition, image of charitable organizations has a positive influence on attitudes towards charities. It was also found that both image of charitable organizations and attitudes towards charities influence motivation to donate. Research limitations/implications – The study is conducted within downtown Kuala Lumpur and is not...

Examining the Moderating Role of Rational-Versus Emotional-Focused Websites: The Case of Boutique Hotels

This article examines whether emotional or rational advertising appeals are more effective for website hospitality services. Specifically, it considers how attitudes towards websites, service expectations and attitudes towards boutique hotels may influence the two different types of advertising appeals and purchase intention. Results show that websites using emotional appeals tend to show a positive relationship between attitude towards hotels and attitude towards websites and purchase intention. It also indicates that emotional advertisements are better at gaining and retaining interest and attention, and as such can be highly beneficial for small boutique hotels. This article provides several marketing and business policy implications to aid practitioners and strategists in making better decisions.

Investigating the role of religiosity as a deterrent against digital piracy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of religiosity as a deterrent to habitual digital piracy behaviour. Specifically, it will examine the extent to which “religious teaching” affects consumer attitudes towards digital piracy and their habitual digital piracy behaviour in a developing market. Design/methodology/approach In total, 400 usable samples were collected from large religious organisations in Indonesia using convenience sampling. The latent moderation structural equation technique was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The results indicated that: facilitating conditions are a significant driver of digital piracy habit; attitude towards piracy is a significant deterrent of digital piracy and moderates the relationship between facilitating conditions and habitual digital piracy; and religious teaching is a significant deterrent of digital piracy habit, mediated by attitude towards piracy. Originality/value This study investigates the influence of Christian religious teaching as a deterrent to digital piracy behaviour. Further, it investigates the mediating and moderating role of attitude in a digital piracy context. The study findings would provide insights for policy makers to deter digital piracy behaviour through the use of religious appeals.

An Investigation of the Characteristics of Australian Charitable Donors

Ads using a range of emotional appeals have been used in different donation campaigns, but, if not managed well, can evoke anger and irritation and as a result alienate potential donors. An understanding of the key donors’ demographics, psychographics, and perception of charities can then help build a better advertising campaign toward donation intention. This research therefore aims to investigate this proposition by building and extending on previous research on an Australian sample. The sample was randomly drawn from the Australian White Pages, and identified respondents were mailed a self-administered survey. Results showed that donors are likely to be older and less highly educated. Religiosity was found to have low influence on charitable donations. Australian donors were also more likely to have positive attitudes toward international charities as opposed to national charities. Further research should focus on cross-country comparisons of donor characteristics to provide a more holistic perspective on donor behavior and thus assist managerial decisions in the marketing of charities.

Anticipated Consumer Guilt: An Investigation into its Antecedents and Consequences for Fair-Trade Consumption

This study considers fair-trade as a collaborative strategy of dealing with the wicked problem of apparel sweatshops. The study assumes that consumer guilt increases the market share of fair-trade products which can be regarded as a favorable change in the marketing system’s output. The paper develops and validates a model of guilt-induced fair-trade buying based on this notion. The model comprises negative affect, ethical judgment, and self-efficacy as antecedents of anticipated consumer guilt. The study’s results, based on a sample of American consumers (n = 430) and analyzed in a structural equation model, reveal anticipated guilt as a major driver of fair-trade buying behavior. Furthermore, anticipated consumer guilt mediates the effects of its antecedents on fair-trade buying intention. The paper provides implications for macro-decision making (e.g., guilt-inducing nudges) as well as suggestions for marcromarketing research.