Slow versus fast: how speed-induced construal affects perceptions of advertising messages

Abstract

Marketing communications often feature objects that move slowly or rapidly, or images appearing in slow or rapid succession. This article provides a report of results of four studies investigating consumer perceptions and construal arising from the pace of commercials, which then affects consumer decision making. Studies 1 and 2 provide empirical evidence showing that TV commercials featuring slow-moving (fast-moving) objects will prompt high level (low-level) construal, and cause consumer preferences for desirability (feasibility) advertising appeals that emphasize product benefits (attributes). Studies 3 and 4 alters the running speed of TV commercials and demonstrate the same results with quality (price) advertising appeals: that is, when TV commercials are run slowly (rapidly), consumers prefer desirability (feasibility) advertising appeals that emphasize quality (price). Theoretical and practical implications for the effects of speed perceptions in the marketplace are discussed.

Keywords:

• Construal level theory
• information processing
• consumer behavior
• advertising

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sukki Yoon

Sukki Yoon is a professor of marketing at Bryant University. Previously he taught advertising at Cleveland State University. He was a visiting scholar at Grey Worldwide, Harvard, SMU, Sookmyung, Dongguk, and UNIST, and a consultant at U.S. and Korean firms and government agencies. He studies advertising and consumer behavior. He has published articles in many international journals and has served on editorial boards. He has also written columns for newspapers and magazines.

Hyejin Bang

Hyejin Bang (Ph.D., University of Georgia) is an assistant professor of marketing at the Kookmin University. Her primary research focuses on consumer psychology and marketing communication on digital platforms. Her research has appeared in the International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Computers in Human Behavior and etc.

Dongwon Choi

Dongwon Choi (Ph.D., University of Georgia) is an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Kookmin University in Korea. His research primarily examines the influence of digital technology on consumer experience of advertising . His research has appeared in journals including International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Computers in Human Behavior.

Kacy Kim

Kacy Kim is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Bryant University. Previously she was an assistant professor at Elon University, a visiting scholar at Harvard University, Virginia Tech University, and McCann New York. She has focused on the fields of marketing and social science research, including economics and psychology. She has Big Data analytical expertise and has developed social media predictive models to assess the effectiveness of marketing for business. Her recent research interest includes marketing analytics, consumer behavior, and marketing communication on digital platforms.