Why Older Adults Show Preference for Rational Over Emotional Advertising Appeals: A U.K. Brand Study Challenges the Applicability of Socioemotional Selectivity Theory to Advertising
Lynn Sudbury-Riley
University of Liverpool
Lisa Edgar
The Big Window Consulting Limited
MANAGEMENT SLANT
- Older adults are becoming an increasingly important target market.
- Socioemotional selectivity theory suggests that, contrary to conventional wisdom, emotional execution is better for advertising to older adults.
- Challenging the applicability of socioemotional selectivity theory in all advertising contexts, the current study finds older adults demonstrate clear preferences for rational over emotional appeals.
- These preferences are different for younger consumers, so what works...