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From the Commercial to the Communal: Reframing Taboo Trade-offs in Religious and Pharmaceutical Marketing

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  • A. Peter McGraw
  • Janet A. Schwartz
  • Philip E. Tetlock

Abstract

Although consumers typically expect organizations to profit from marketing goods and services, they also believe that certain organizations, like those that focus on religion and health, should prioritize communal obligations. Indeed, consumers may find it morally distressing when communally focused organizations use overtly commercial marketing strategies like rebranding or value-based pricing. We demonstrate how moral distress and consumer backlash result from such taboo trade-offs and investigate when communal-sharing rhetoric for religious and pharmaceutical marketing reduces distress. Communal justifications used by communally focused organizations are particularly effective when consumers are not closely monitoring the motives of the organization or when the product is need-based. However, communal justifications become less effective and market-pricing justifications become more effective when consumers are attuned to the persuasive intentions of the organization. Implications for consumer goals are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Peter McGraw & Janet A. Schwartz & Philip E. Tetlock, 2012. "From the Commercial to the Communal: Reframing Taboo Trade-offs in Religious and Pharmaceutical Marketing," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 39(1), pages 157-173.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/662070
    DOI: 10.1086/662070
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    Cited by:

    1. Wallach, Karen Anne & Popovich, Deidre, 2023. "When Big Is Less than Small: Why dominant brands lack authenticity in their sustainability initiatives," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    2. Daniela Andreini & Diego Rinallo & Giuseppe Pedeliento & Mara Bergamaschi, 2017. "Brands and Religion in the Secularized Marketplace and Workplace: Insights from the Case of an Italian Hospital Renamed After a Roman Catholic Pope," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 529-550, March.
    3. Philip E. Tetlock & Barbara A. Mellers & J. Peter Scoblic, 2017. "Sacred versus Pseudo-sacred Values: How People Cope with Taboo Trade-Offs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 96-99, May.
    4. Gallus, Jana & Reiff, Joseph & Kamenica, Emir & Fiske, Alan Page, 2021. "Relational Incentives Theory," MPRA Paper 109898, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Chaney, Damien & Lunardo, Renaud & Bressolles, Grégory, 2016. "Making the store a place of learning: The effects of in-store educational activities on retailer legitimacy and shopping intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 5886-5893.
    6. Boeuf, Benjamin & Darveau, Jessica, 2017. "Posting from beyond the grave: An autopsy of consumer attitudes toward promotional communication in a posthumous context," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 892-900.
    7. Laura Edwards & Wendy Lomax, 2017. "Financial credit and social discredit: the pawnbroking dilemma," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(2), pages 77-84, June.
    8. Gallus, Jana & Reiff, Joseph & Kamenica, Emir & Fiske, Alan Page, 2021. "Relational Incentives Theory," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue fothcomin.
    9. Stiegert, Peer & Täuber, Susanne & Leliveld, Marijke C. & Oehmichen, Jana, 2021. "The stereotype rub-off effect – Organizational stereotypes modulate behavioural expectations, expectancy violation and punishment after transgressions," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 127-138.
    10. Saerom Lee & Lisa E Bolton & Karen Page Winterich & Vicki MorwitzEditor & Lauren BlockAssociate Editor, 2017. "To Profit or Not to Profit? The Role of Greed Perceptions in Consumer Support for Social Ventures," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(4), pages 853-876.
    11. Tang, Simone & Morewedge, Carey M. & Larrick, Richard P. & Klein, Jill G., 2017. "Disloyalty aversion: Greater reluctance to bet against close others than the self," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 1-13.
    12. Hoppner, Jessica J. & Vadakkepatt, Gautham G., 2019. "Examining moral authority in the marketplace: A conceptualization and framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 417-427.

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