Self-Generated Advertisements: Testimonials and the Perils of Consumer Exaggeration

Various forms of traditional promotions (e.g., free-standing inserts) as well as newer versions of viral marketing campaigns ask consumers to write personal testimonials about their brand-related experiences.

Self-Generated Advertisements: Testimonials and the Perils of Consumer Exaggeration

Terence A. ShimpStacy L. WoodLaura Smarandescu

Through a series of three studies, we examine in this research the practice of marketers encouraging consumers to write positive testimonials about their brand-related usage experiences. Advertising researchers have not, as far as we know, examined this practice in a systematic fashion. It is our view that testimonial promotions and the written testimonials generated thereby represent a unique form of advertising, as we detail below. In general, testimonial promotions encourage consumers to submit positive testimonials for a brand as part of a contest...

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