Paul M. Herr

An Investigation of the Processes by Which Product Design and Brand Strength Interact to Determine Initial Affect and Quality Judgments

Prior research on product design has focused predominantly on the importance of product aesthetics in generating favorable consumer response. Interestingly, little attention has been given to the importance of aesthetics relative to product function (a fundamental component of product design) or to brand strength–two factors that are also considered to have a significant influence on consumers’ product evaluations and on product success. This study investigates how product design (conceptualized as product aesthetics and function) interacts with brand strength to influence consumers’ product liking and quality evaluations. Results suggest that design and brand strength differentially impact liking and quality judgments. In addition, judgments of liking and quality are found to be different in the way they are formed. Specifically, product liking appears to be readily formed through a process that integrates design information only; brand strength exhibits no significant influence. Quality judgments appear to take longer to process, and involve the integration of design and brand information.

Motivated Search: Effects of Choice Accountability, Issue Involvement, and Prior Knowledge on Information Acquisition and Use

Abstract The present experiments explore the impact of two types of motives (choice accountability and issue involvement) and prior knowledge on information search and use. The experiments show that accountable subjects examined more information, employed multiple stage search criteria, and were likely to use a more compensatory choice strategy. In addition, a second experiment demonstrates differential effects for accountability and issue involvement: accountability increases search effort regardless of level of prior knowledge; whereas, issue involvement increases search effort only when prior knowledge is low. Accountability also increases the integrative complexity of the thoughts reported during the search process; whereas, issue involvement has only marginal and incremental effects on integrative complexity. Implications of the results for understanding the effects of different types of motives on information acquisition and use are discussed.

Dangerous Donations? The Effects of Cause-Related Marketing on Charity Attitude

SUMMARY How might cause-related marketing affect attitudes toward the charity involved? Could charity attitudes be harmed? These questions were addressed in a controlled laboratory study. Positive/negative fit between the organizations was manipulated, and company attitude was measured. The results suggest that charity attitude may be negatively impacted if consumers attitudes toward the company are negative, or if the organizations have negative fit. Alternatively, CRM may improve charity attitude if company attitude is positive or the organizations share positive fit. The effect of fit is stronger than the effect of company attitude, so positive fit may compensate for pairing with a company toward which consumers attitudes are negative.

On the Development and Strength of Category–Brand Associations in Memory: The Case of Mystery Ads

The results of an experiment that examined the influence of ad format on memory structure for the brand are presented. Mystery ads (i.e., those in which the brand is not identified until the end of the ad) were found to be more effective in building associations in memory between the product category and the brand than identical ads in which the brand was identified early in the ad. These mystery ads were most effective for novel brands, with which viewers were unfamiliar. A possible mechanism for the process is described, and implications of strong category–brand associations for brand choice are discussed.

On Avoiding the Fate of the League of Semi-Superheroes: Consumer Psychology and Heroic Research

Consumer psychologists should strive for superhero status. This entails not simply “doing good work,” but doing good work that matters and disseminating the results of that work to those who need it most. Throughout the evidence-gathering and dissemination process, the members of our league face the peril of becoming semi-superheroes. Heroic avoidance of this peril is recommended.