An exploratory study on the effect of positive (warmth appeal) and negative (guilt appeal) print imagery on donation behaviour in animal welfare

Very few studies in social marketing empirically compare the effectiveness of positive and negative appeals. This study examines the effect of positive (warmth appeal) and negative (guilt appeal) print imagery on donation behaviour to an animal welfare organisation. A quasiexperimental design was used to test the appeals, using a convenience sample of 282 university students, with each experimental group being exposed to only one type of appeal. The results indicated that negative imagery which evoked guilt was more effective than positive imagery which evoked warmth, on intention to donate money and time to the animal welfare organisation. Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details This conference paper was originally published as Haynes, M, Thornton, J and Jones, SC, An exploratory study on the effect of positive (warmth appeal) and negative (guilt appeal) print imagery on donation behaviour in animal welfarein Wiley, J (ed), Proceedings of the Marketing Accountabilities and Responsibilities: ANZMAC 2004 Conference, School of Marketing and International Business, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 29 November 1 December 2004. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/hbspapers/80 An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Positive (Warmth Appeal) and Negative (Guilt Appeal) Print Imagery on Donation Behavior in Animal Welfare Marcus Haynes, Jennifer Thornton and Sandra C. Jones University of Wollongong