Effects of Susceptibility to Normative Influence and Type of Testimonial on Attitudes Toward Print Advertising

TLDR

The study examines how susceptibility to normative influence and product attribute information moderate the effects of testimonials on consumer attitudes. High‑SNI consumers base attitudes more on testimonials, while low‑SNI consumers rely on attribute information, with mediation analyses confirming testimonial‑driven attitudes for high‑SNI and attribute‑driven attitudes for low‑SNI.

Abstract

In two experiments, we show how a consumer's susceptibility to normative influence (SNI) offers useful insights into the effectiveness of two types of testimonials: a typical person endorsement (Study 1) and a celebrity endorsement (Study 2). Specifically, we suggest that two variables moderate testimonial effects—SNI and product attribute information. Results show that in forming their evaluations, high-SNI consumers place a greater emphasis on the testimonial than on the attribute information. In contrast, low-SNI consumers are more influenced by attribute information. A mediation analysis shows that advertising attitudes for high-SNI consumers are mediated by testimonial thoughts, whereas the attitudes for low-SNI consumers are mediated by their attribute thoughts. Theoretical and managerial implications are presented.