Articulation Patterns in Names: A Hidden Route to Consumer Preference

This article highlights recent approaches exploring a novel route to consumer preferences, motoric articulation patterns of names that invoke approach and avoidance tendencies and thereby trigger positive consumer attitudes toward the objects and products that bear such names. Specifically, names are construed for which the articulations spots of the consonants move either from the front to the back of the mouth (inward, such as BAKO) or from the back to the front of the mouth (outward, such as KABO). In several lines of studies, participants express higher favorability of inward over outward words. Moreover, persons and companies with inward names are liked more than persons with outward names. Also, participants report higher product liking, purchase intentions, and higher willingness to pay for products with inward names over outward names. When food is labeled in such a way, participants report higher palatability of and even consume more of food bearing inward names compared to outward names.