The Role of Beneficiaries’ Group Identity in Determining Successful Appeal Strategies for Charitable Giving

Abstract

What types of message appeals in charity advertisements are most likely to convince people to donate? Using university rivalry (Studies 1 and 2), nationality (Study 3), and freely chosen groups (Study 4), this research proposes that the beneficiaries' group identity moderates the relative effectiveness of three benefit foci of message appeals in charity advertisements. The results indicate that other-benefit appeals produce greater donation intentions than external self-benefit appeals for in-group beneficiaries, whereas external self-benefit appeals produce greater donation intentions than other-benefit appeals for rival (Studies 1-3 ), dissociative (Study 4), and neutral (Study 4) out-group beneficiaries. Emotional-benefit appeals are more effective than external self-benefit appeals for in-group beneficiaries, and are more effective than other-benefit appeals for neutral out-group beneficiaries, whereas they are less effective than external self-benefit appeals for dissociative out-group beneficiaries (Study 4). Empathy and belief in personal benefits mediate the interaction effect of benefit focus and beneficiary group on donation intentions (Studies 3 and 4).Theoretical and managerial implications of the current findings are discussed.

Doing Good Better: Impure Altruism in Green Apparel Advertising

“…Research in advertising shows that promotional messages are likely to be evaluated more favorably when they are consistent with consumers' personal values and egoistic consideration [31]. Since the benefit of self is more likely to increase consumers' overall evaluation of the advertisements and their green consumption behavior [1], we suppose that the differences in perceived benefits between the earth and the human beneficiary can be less apparent for an egocentric message orientation than for an altercentric message. However, when the green advertisement contains the altercentric message, an appeal with the human beneficiary might create more positive responses than an appeal with the earth beneficiary and, therefore, the difference in benefit perception could be more obvious.…”

“…In this case, consumers are likely to purchase alternative nongreen products that have better quality and that are compatible with their self-interests. If green advertising instead presents a marketing message that enhances the perceptions of quality in green products, consumers might view their purchases of this product as relatively more important and meaningful [1,9].…”

“…Altruistic warmth is about doing good, and it is motivated by wanting to care for others purely for others' benefit and not to benefit the self. This truly other-oriented emotion, derived from a sense of collectivism and altruism, can be distinguished from the egoistic warmth that comes from personal contentment or self-interest [1,22]. When consumers perceive greater other-oriented benefits in response to a green stimulus, they are more likely to experience a high level of altruistic warmth.…”

“…The literature in social psychology and advertising suggests that consumers' sustainable purchases can be shaped by two emotional states: altruism and egoism [1,2]. Although the literature defines altruism as "a desire to benefit others' welfare" [3], there is a long-standing debate as to whether altruistic actions are driven purely by empathic concern for others or by egoistic self-interests.…”

“…In fostering sustainable acts, firms have increasingly used these categories of advertising in their social marketing campaigns [1,12]. Yet, the research has not tested which appeal type more efficiently predicts consumers' perceptions of the benefits from purchasing green apparel or the interactivity of the appeal types.…”