Does consumer scepticism negate the effects of visceral cues in weight loss advertising?

The theory of visceral influences posits that certain drive states are commonly associated with impulsive behaviour, and that cues that maximise a reward’s temporal and hedonic appeal can even persuade wary consumers.

Does consumer scepticism negate the effects of visceral cues in weight loss advertising?

Clinton Amos

Augusta State University

Stacy Landreth Grau

Texas Christian University

Introduction

The presence of visceral factors is a phenomenon of recent interest to advertising and, for some products, important to public policy (Lynch & Zauberman 2006). Visceral factors are rewards that become progressively more attractive as they appear to draw nearer in time, appeal to a state of deprivation or desperation, and appear hedonically salient (Loewenstein 1996, 2000). In particular, the dissemination of information can be affected by the presence of visceral stimuli (Loewenstein 1996; Nordgren...

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