Abstract

This study suggests that the goal orientation of metaphoric claims impacts the effects of metaphors in ads. Drawing on regulatory focus and information processing theories, we tested the moderating role of the regulatory focus of ad messages on the persuasiveness of their metaphors. In Experiment 1, we found that promotion-focused (vs. prevention-focused) verbal messages in ads were more favorable when messages were metaphoric (vs. literal), whereas prevention-focused (vs. promotion-focused) messages were more favored in literal (vs. metaphoric) claims. Experiment 2 further demonstrated that processing fluency functions as a mediating factor that elucidates the relationship found in Experiment 1. Experiment 2 also tested the generalizability of the Experiment 1 findings by varying the degree of artful deviation in the metaphoric claims. The results across both experiments suggest that when metaphoric claims highlight an approach to a desired outcome (i.e. promotion focus), the persuasiveness of metaphors in ads is enhanced, while when the avoidance of an undesired outcome (i.e. prevention focus) is emphasized, literal claims rather than metaphoric claims are more persuasive.

摘要

本研究表明，隐喻主张的目标取向会影响隐喻在广告中的效果。利用监管焦点和信息处理理论，我们测试了广告信息的监管焦点对其隐喻的说服力的调节作用。在实验 1 中，我们发现当信息是隐喻的（相对于字面的）时，广告中以促销为重点（与以预防为重点）的口头信息更受欢迎，而以预防为重点（与以促销为重点）的信息在广告中更受青睐。字面（与隐喻）的主张。实验 2 进一步证明了处理流畅性作为一个中介因素，阐明了实验 1 中发现的关系。实验 2 还通过改变隐喻声明的巧妙偏差程度来测试实验 1 发现的普遍性。