The Role of Endorsers, Framing, and Rewards on the Effectiveness of Dietary Supplement Advertisements

Abstract

This study examined the effects of endorsers, message framing, and rewards on consumers’ responses toward dietary supplement advertisements in terms of ad liking and ad believability, attitude toward the advertisement, attitude toward the brand, and behavioral intention. The results of 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design show that viewers respond differently to different types of endorser, message framing, and rewards. Rewards have moderate influences on consumers’ ad liking when combined with different framed messages and endorsers. Endorsers, message framing, and rewards are interrelated; it is notable that respondents express more ad liking when celebrity endorser, positive framing, and extrinsic reward are used in combination. The authors found that ad liking and ad believability have an effect on attitude toward the advertisement and the brand. In addition, the authors found that (a) attitude toward the advertisement has relations with attitude toward the brand and behavioral intention and (b) attitude toward the brand has a significant influence on behavioral intention. These results can also be useful for marketers with regard to developing and implementing their marketing activities to specific customer segment.

Notes

Note. Product: “MagicSlim,” a fictitious brand of dietary supplement;

Endorsers:

Celebrity: A well-known female singer in the Mandarin music market, (Jolin Tsai).

Expert: A young lady, Dr. (Yang), as a medical doctor.

Framing:

Positive: “Take one capsule in the morning and one in the afternoon and you will become healthier, and could lose up to 2 kg in as soon as 2 weeks.”

Negative: “Take one capsule in the morning and one in the afternoon. If you don't take it, your weight problem could get worse!”

Rewards:

Extrinsic: “Become the envy of others with the help of MagicSlim!”

Intrinsic: “Your body is overweight? MagicSlim can help you achieve your target weight!”

*p ≤ .05.

**p ≤ .001.