Persuasive Advertising - J. Scott Armstrong [139]
• Words containing voiceless stops (p, t, and k) as opposed to voiced stops (b, d, and g) are perceived as smaller, faster, lighter (relative to heavier), sharper, and more feminine.
These effects are subtle. Listeners (and readers) have little awareness that the sounds of words convey meanings in persuasive messages.
Evidence on the effects of sounds supporting meanings
The above guidelines for selecting sounds were developed by Klink (2001). It was based on his review of published evidence, and on a study in which he asked 265 subjects to evaluate fictitious brand names. In addition, I drew upon evidence from Yorkston and Menon (2004). In a series of four studies, they presented hundreds of subjects with a short paragraph about two brands of ice cream, Frish and Frosh, and then allowed them to sample the ice creams (which, in fact, were identical). Subjects rated Frosh higher than Frish on the key dimensions of creaminess, richness, and smoothness. They also reported higher purchase intentions for Frosh.
7.6.2. Use words that enhance the purchasing or consuming experience
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare wrote, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Advertisers do not agree. They search for names that will excite customers.
Adjectives that describe products or benefits add interest and help to draw potential customers. They can also enhance the customer’s experience with the transaction and product. Recently I chose a “hand-crafted beer” although I had no idea what that meant. Sometime later, I bought “cellar-cooled beer.” I can guess what that means, but have no idea why that would make the beer better. However, I enjoyed them.
Adjectives can be used to imply that the claim is a fact. Thus, P&G did not say, “Pringles are fat free and taste as good as the original.” Instead, they used “fat-free” as an adjective, “Fat-free Pringles. As good as the original taste.” Because “fat-free” is a descriptor rather than an assertion, the reader’s attention is directed only to the taste claim.
In 2004, Apple advertised its 17-inch laptop as 1 inch thin rather than 1 inch thick. You see drink ads for a “full quart” and for a “large 12-oz. serving.”
The observation tower in Sydney, Australia, is an “astonishing” 350 meters tall. The travel industry appears to have an ongoing competition on which brochures can include the most adjectives and adverbs.
Foreign words can add interest and create favorable connotations and emotions. The language employed should be relevant to the product, as in the use of French terms in ads for food or wines.
Advertisers have long used favorable adjectives. In the 15th century, barkers around St. Paul’s Cathedral in London used “elegant language and plenty of adjectives.”
Evidence on using adjectives to enhance the customer experience
A six-week field experiment involving 140 customers in a faculty cafeteria was conducted at the University of Illinois. The cafeteria offered six entrées twice a week. The menu, which was rotated each day, listed either two foods with little description (e.g., grilled chicken) or two with more descriptive labeling (e.g., tender grilled chicken), but the food was the same. Sales were 27 percent higher for the items with adjectives. The diners rated the meals with more descriptive adjectives as better quality and better value, and they reported that they would be more likely to order them in the future (Wansink, Painter, and van Ittersum 2001).
Two lab experiments added support. When asked for their preferences for paint colors, the 193 subjects showed a strong preference for fancy names (e.g., Dark coffee) versus generic names (e.g., Brown). The second experiment, with 32 subjects, found that purchase preferences for towels were substantially higher when they used adjectives in the names (Skorinko et al. 2006).
Headlines do not always lend themselves to adjectives. However, when used they are effective, as shown by our analysis of quasi-experimental data:
Print ads with adjectives in the headline had better recall. Our WAPB analysis