Do Happy Consumers Think the Extrinsic Attributes Are More Important?

Kang-Ning Xia¹, Yu-Tse Lin^2
(1. Department of Business Administration, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li, Taiwan;
2. Department of Business Administration, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Hsinchuang, New Taipei City, Taiwan)

Abstract: We designed two experiments to examine the effects of consumer mood on product attribute evaluation and attitude. In the first, we asked a group of 122 university undergraduates who were manipulated to experience positive or negative moods to report their reactions to advertising copy containing text describing intrinsic or extrinsic product attributes. Results indicate that the respondents in good moods were more likely to focus on extrinsic attributes, and those in bad moods on intrinsic attributes. No differences between intrinsic and extrinsic attributes were noted among students in the neutral mood group. In a second experiment with 239 participants, we explored the interaction effect of mood and attribute types on the product attributes. Results indicate that efforts to match consumer mood with product attributes result in more positive attitude toward a product.

Key words: mood; advertising; product attributes; information process

JEL code: M