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Second Person Pronouns Enhance Consumer Involvement and Brand Attitude

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  • Cruz, Ryan E.
  • Leonhardt, James M.
  • Pezzuti, Todd

Abstract

Online brand messaging, e.g., blogging or posting on social media platforms, has an important role in digital marketing strategy. Such messaging is largely text based and provides an opportunity for brands to interact with many consumers simultaneously. The marketing literature, however, has yet to provide sufficient guidance on effective online brand messaging strategies. In particular, research has yet to address how the inclusion of second person pronouns in online brand messaging affects relevant consumer outcomes. The present research proposes that second person pronouns should work to enhance consumer involvement and brand attitude as a result of increasing the extent that consumers engage in self-referencing. A field study involving actual brand posts on Facebook and two subsequent experiments provide support for this hypothesis. In addition, drawing on cultural dimensions theory, individual levels of collectivism are identified as a boundary condition. The presence (vs. absence) of second person pronouns in online brand messaging enhances involvement and brand attitude for consumers that are lower, but not higher, in collectivism. The results provide marketers with needed guidance for creating effective online brand messaging.

Suggested Citation

  • Cruz, Ryan E. & Leonhardt, James M. & Pezzuti, Todd, 2017. "Second Person Pronouns Enhance Consumer Involvement and Brand Attitude," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 104-116.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joinma:v:39:y:2017:i:c:p:104-116
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intmar.2017.05.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniele Dalli & Annamaria Tuan & David D?Acunto, 2018. "How online reviewers and actual customers evaluate their shopping experiences. Evidence from an international retail chain," MERCATI & COMPETITIVIT?, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(3), pages 163-180.
    2. Todd Pezzuti & James M. Leonhardt, 2023. "What’s not to like? Negations in brand messages increase consumer engagement," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 675-694, May.
    3. Aleti, Torgeir & Pallant, Jason I. & Tuan, Annamaria & van Laer, Tom, 2019. "Tweeting with the Stars: Automated Text Analysis of the Effect of Celebrity Social Media Communications on Consumer Word of Mouth," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 17-32.
    4. Giandomenico Domenico & Annamaria Tuan & Marco Visentin, 2021. "Linguistic drivers of misinformation diffusion on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2021(4), pages 351-369, December.
    5. Pezzuti, Todd & Leonhardt, James M. & Warren, Caleb, 2021. "Certainty in Language Increases Consumer Engagement on Social Media," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 32-46.
    6. Annamaria Tuan & Sebastiano Grandi, 2018. "Emerging trends in qualitative research. A focus on Social Media," MERCATI & COMPETITIVIT?, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(4), pages 17-26.
    7. Leonhardt, James M. & Pezzuti, Todd & Namkoong, Jae-Eun, 2020. "We’re not so different: Collectivism increases perceived homophily, trust, and seeking user-generated product information," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 160-169.

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