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Achter de schermen van fake viral video: Een onderzoek naar de effecten van boodschapverwachting, merkcongruentie en ambiguïteitstolerantie op herinnering en attitude

Kramer, Menno (2010) Achter de schermen van fake viral video: Een onderzoek naar de effecten van boodschapverwachting, merkcongruentie en ambiguïteitstolerantie op herinnering en attitude.

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Abstract:A relatively new online marketing phenomenon is fake viral videos (FVV); short, compelling internet videos that are seen by many in a short amount of time and leave people wondering: real or fake? If consumers believe the footage is real, their expectancies are disconfirmed when they learn that the video is actually fake or staged. Previous research indicates that this expectancy disconfirmation leads to better recall and recognition, higher message‐ and brand attitudes and increased intent to share. Research also suggests that these effects are moderated by brand congruency. It has been established that positive effects of expectancy disconfirmation only occur when the message transmits meaningful, relevant and fitting information about the brand; when brand and message are congruent. Fake virals can differ in their ambiguity, as afterwards it may or may not become clear that the footage shown was indeed fake. It can therefore be expected that individual tolerance of ambiguity will further mitigate results: persons with a low tolerance of ambiguity will prefer FVV’s that unfold the truth afterwards whereas persons with a high tolerance of ambiguity will prefer FVV’s that remain mysterious (i.e. no information about the true nature of the video is provided). A 3x2x2 design was set up to determine the effects of information timing (before, after or no information), brand congruency and ambiguity tolerance on recall, recognition and attitudes towards message and brand. Test subjects were shown a FVV from either a congruent or incongruent brand and were either told before, after or not at all that the video was fake. Ambiguity tolerance was determined through a standardized survey. The results show that fake viral video causes subjects to view brands as more favorable and sincere, provided that the brand is congruent with the message. Furthermore, these congruent FVV’s increase perceptions of brand sincerity for persons with low tolerance of ambiguity only if the video provides closure by explaining afterwards that the video was a fake. For persons with high tolerance of ambiguity, congruent fake virals only lead to increased perceptions of brand sincerity when the true nature of the viral is not explained. The results confirm previous research findings on the effects of expectancy disconfirmation, congruency and tolerance for ambiguity on brand evaluations.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/60549
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