Many technological innovations introduce attributes that are novel or completely unknown to a large number of consumers. For example, recently introduced attributes such as GPS in cars or I-Link in computers are likely to have been novel to many consumers. Past research suggests that the addition of novel attributes is likely to improve product evaluation and sales, since consumers interpret these attributes as additional benefits provided by the manufacturer. However, this article demonstrates that the positive effect of novel attributes holds only in the case of low-complexity products. In the case of high-complexity products, the addition of novel attributes can actually reduce product evaluation because of negative learning-cost inferences about these attributes. Further, the positive and negative effects of novel attributes on product evaluation are accentuated by external search for information when the information discovered through search is ambiguous in nature. Finally, it is shown that the negative effect of novel attributes on the evaluation of high-complexity products can persist even after consumers are given explicit information about the benefits of novel attributes. A key marketing implication of these findings is that novel attributes may contribute to technophobia, or consumer resistance toward technological innovation.

Few studies have tested models incorporating cognitive as well as affective mechanisms that help explain different levels ofperceived humorousness in advertising (cf Alden and Hoyer 1993;Speck 1991). In the first of two studies, an extended incongruity resolution model of humor perception in television advertising is proposed and tested. In that test, schema familiarity is found to moderate surprise resulting from ad content incongruity. Furthermore, playfulness of the ad, ease of resolution of the incongruity in the ad and warmth created by the ad moderate the effects of surprise on humor. Thus, surprise appears to be a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for humor in television advertising. In the second study, the role of surprise in generating humor is examined in more detail. Specifically, evidence supports the hypothesis that, following exposure to incongruity, surprise can be transformed into diverse affective outcomes such as fear and humor depending on the presence of different contextual moderators. Implications of the overall model are discussed from both theoretic and applied perspectives and directions for future research are suggested.

No abstract

Fear is used to advertise many products, services, and causes such as antismoking, sunscreen usage, and safe driving. Past research indicates that high levels of fear tension arousal can prompt defensive responses in the audience, which, in turn, can reduce the persuasive effect of the ad. We show in two studies that humor can reduce these defensive responses and hence increase the persuasiveness of fear advertising. Specifically, we show that increasing the level of fear tension arousal decreases persuasion when humor is absent but increases persuasion when humor is present. Further, this interaction of humor and fear tension arousal is mediated by defensive responses related to message elaboration and vulnerability to threat. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of fear advertising can be increased by adding an element of humor to the ad. promotes simple versus complex behaviors. In conclusion, we can summarize the present research as follows: humor provides a buffer against the negative effects of high fear tension arousal and hence maximizes the persuasive effect of fear advertising.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

No abstract