TY - JOUR
T1 - Using Comparative Advertising to Promote Technology-Based Hospitality Services
AU - Qing Liu, Stephanie
AU - Mattila, Anna S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016, © The Author(s) 2016.
PY - 2015/5
Y1 - 2015/5
N2 - This research draws on regulatory focus theory to explore how to effectively advertise technology-based hospitality services. In an experiment, we compare four types of service ads: narrative-comparative, narrative-noncomparative, list-comparative, and list-noncomparative. Results reveal that narrative-comparative ads, portraying a superior service experience with the advertised brand against its competitors, can elicit gain perceptions, and therefore, they are more effective among promotion-focused individuals than their more prevention-focused counterparts. Conversely, list-comparative ads, presenting attributes of the advertised brand and its competitors side-by-side, can induce either gain or loss perceptions, thus being effective among both promotion-focused and prevention-focused individuals. With no mention of a reference brand, noncomparative ads fail to generate regulatory fit thereby being less persuasive. Managerial implications for hospitality marketers are discussed.
AB - This research draws on regulatory focus theory to explore how to effectively advertise technology-based hospitality services. In an experiment, we compare four types of service ads: narrative-comparative, narrative-noncomparative, list-comparative, and list-noncomparative. Results reveal that narrative-comparative ads, portraying a superior service experience with the advertised brand against its competitors, can elicit gain perceptions, and therefore, they are more effective among promotion-focused individuals than their more prevention-focused counterparts. Conversely, list-comparative ads, presenting attributes of the advertised brand and its competitors side-by-side, can induce either gain or loss perceptions, thus being effective among both promotion-focused and prevention-focused individuals. With no mention of a reference brand, noncomparative ads fail to generate regulatory fit thereby being less persuasive. Managerial implications for hospitality marketers are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1177/1938965516630424
DO - 10.1177/1938965516630424
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84966930547
VL - 57
SP - 162
EP - 171
JO - Cornell Hospitality Quarterly
JF - Cornell Hospitality Quarterly
SN - 1938-9655
IS - 2
ER -