How playable ads influence consumer attitude: exploring the mediation effects of perceived control and freedom threat

Abstract

Purpose The playable ad is a new type of digital advertising that combines interactivity with gamification. Guided by psychological reactance theory, this study aims to explore the psychological processes and effects of playable ads on consumers’ perceived control and product attitudes. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducted two experiments to examine the relationship between playable ads, perceived control and product attitude. This paper also applied psychological reactance theory and investigated whether perceived control triggered by the interactive features of playable ads influenced psychological reactance toward them. Findings Findings from two experiments show that playable ads, compared to video ads, increased consumers’ perceived control, which, in turn, led to more positive attitudes toward the advertised products (Studies 1 and 2). This study also supports psychological reactance theory by revealing that increased perceived control diminished perceived freedom threat and subsequently alleviated consumers’ psychological reactance toward advertising messages (Study 2). Originality/value This study sheds light on the effectiveness of a new type of ad-game integration – playable ads. Different from prior research in gamification of advertising, this paper examined the effectiveness of playable ads in an information processing context in which the ads were not the primary task to focus on. This study also extends psychological reactance theory in the context of interactive marketing by exploring the effect of perceived control afforded by digital message features in mitigating reactance.

In-store interactive advertising screens: the effect of interactivity on impulse buying explained by self-agency

“…Chattaraman et al , 2014). For instance, studies demonstrate that interactivity positively affects constructs such as consumers' perceptions of usefulness and enjoyment (Yim et al , 2017), attitudes (Hu and Wise, 2021) and online buying activity (Kim and LaRose, 2004). A meta-analysis of 63 studies on web interactivity underlines this notion and shows that it is positively correlated with attitudes and desirable behavioral intentions of consumers (Yang and Shen, 2018).…”

“…According to Reactance Theory (Brehm, 1966), people are easier to persuade when they feel free to make their own choices (e.g. through interactive content, see Hu and Wise, 2021) than when they feel threatened in this freedom (e.g. by non-interactive ads; see Edwards et al , 2002).…”

“…Based on previous research on interactivity in online contexts, interactive screens could arguably increase impulse-visit urges and impulse-buying urges (e.g. Kim and LaRose, 2004; Huang, 2016; Yim et al , 2017; Hu and Wise, 2021). However, these studies state either that interactivity and impulsivity are related to each other or that interactivity can positively affect persuasive outcomes in general.…”

Social Overload and Discontinuance Intention on Facebook: A Comparative Study

“…As the outcome of reactance, people may express various negative behaviors, such as indicating opposition, reducing preferences, denigrating the threatening persons as an active reaction, or searching for alternative freedoms, abandoning the original freedom in a passive reaction [23]. The research [24] has also supported psychological reactance theory by showing that increased perceived control reduced perceived freedom threat and consequently alleviated consumers' psychological reactance toward advertising messages.…”

Deneyimsel Pazarlama Stratejisi Olarak Oynanabilir Reklamlar

“…Oyun-içi reklamların birincil hedef kitlesi oyun oynarken markalı içerikle karşılaşan dijital oyuncular olmaktadır (Hu & Wise, 2021). Geleneksel mecralarda olduğu gibi dijital mecralarda ve oyunlarda da hedef kitle içerisinde yer alan izleyici ve kullanıcılar etraflarını çepeçevre saran reklam mesajlarından kaçınma eğilimi göstermektedir.…”