Consumers’ online brand-related misinformation engagement: a weapons of influence perspectiveShow others and affiliations
2024 (English)In: Journal of Strategic Marketing, ISSN 0965-254X, E-ISSN 1466-4488, Vol. 32, no 8, p. 1415-1434Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
While misinformation has been around for centuries, the effects of online brand-related misinformation on consumers’ engagement remain tenuous. Addressing this gap, we develop the concept of online brand-related misinformation engagement, a consumer’s (e.g. cognitive/emotional) resource investment in their interactions with misinformation about brands. Recognizing the persuasive nature of misinformation, we draw on Cialdini’s Weapons of Persuasive Influence to develop a typology comprising three positively valenced online brand-related misinformation engagement sub-types (i.e. reciprocal, social proof-, and consistency-based misinformation engagement), and three negatively valenced online brand-related misinformation engagement sub-types (i.e. repudiating, thwarting, and oppositional misinformation engagement). We then develop a Weapons of Influence-informed model that outlines the effect of online brand-related misinformation authority and scarcity on consumers’ brand-related misinformation evaluation (liking), and its subsequent effect on their positive or negative online brand-related misinformation engagement, respectively. While consumers’ positive online brand-related misinformation engagement is predicted to yield online misinformation continuation or -intensification, its negative counterpart will generate online misinformation adjustment or -correction.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2024. Vol. 32, no 8, p. 1415-1434
Keywords [en]
brands, Cialdini’s weapons of influence, consumer engagement, marketing strategy, Misinformation
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-228105DOI: 10.1080/0965254X.2024.2380657ISI: 001275345000001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85199471003OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-228105DiVA, id: diva2:1886549
2024-08-022024-08-022024-12-10Bibliographically approved