Immersed in our narratives: a study of the effectiveness of cobrand anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism strategies have been widely applied in brand marketing activities such as advertising, service communication, and word-of-mouth, and have become an important marketing strategy for many brands. However, prior research has focused on single-brand contexts, leaving the effects and mec...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1602833/full |
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| Summary: | Anthropomorphism strategies have been widely applied in brand marketing activities such as advertising, service communication, and word-of-mouth, and have become an important marketing strategy for many brands. However, prior research has focused on single-brand contexts, leaving the effects and mechanisms of co-brand anthropomorphism underexplored. Drawing on anthropomorphism theory and narrative transportation theory, this study constructs a model to examine how co-brand anthropomorphism influences consumers’ evaluations and intentions toward co-branded products. Three experimental studies were conducted. The studies show that: Compared to non-anthropomorphism, anthropomorphism significantly enhances consumers’ evaluations and purchase intentions for co-branded products, with narrative transportation mediating this effect. The type of co-branding appeal moderates the results: anthropomorphism is effective for abstract appeals but not for specific appeals. The findings offer practical insights for brands to leverage anthropomorphism in co-branding campaigns, improving ad persuasion effectiveness. |
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| ISSN: | 2297-900X |