Message assertiveness and price discounts: differences between hedonic and utilitarian consumption

Marketers often use assertive messages to advocate for prosocial causes. Paradoxically, however, assertive messages often provoke reactance. The authors conduct two laboratory experiments to examine whether consumers' reactions to assertive (vs. non-assertive) messages will vary when they receive price discounts (vs. no discount) at the time they make purchases, with hedonic versus utilitarian purchase intentions as moderators. The results show that discounts alleviate the guilt associated with hedonic consumption, resulting in gratitude and willingness to reciprocate by complying with assertive (vs. non-assertive) prosocial messages. Nonassertive and assertive messages are equally persuasive for utilitarian consumption, regardless of price discount.

Automated summary

Marketers often use assertive messages to advocate for prosocial causes. However, these messages often provoke reactance. Two laboratory experiments were conducted to examine whether consumers' reactions to assertive messages would vary depending on whether they received price discounts at the time of purchase, and their purchase intentions. The results showed that discounts alleviate guilt associated with hedonic consumption, resulting in gratitude and willingness to comply with assertive prosocial messages. For utilitarian consumption, both assertive and non-assertive messages were equally persuasive, regardless of price discounts.