Can we serve both God and Money? The role of indirect appeal and its limitation: A Review from Islamic Perspectives

" Objective - This review critically evaluates the study by (Park et al., 2023), which examines the impact of for-profit religious-affiliated companies' (FPRCs) dual identity on customers' perceptions of greed and purchasing behavior, potentially triggered by a perceived misalignment between moral expectations and commercial motives. It highlights the study's strengths and weaknesses, proposes areas for improvement, and offers an alternative perspective rooted in Islamic principles, which may yield different implications for advertising strategies in religious business contexts. Methodology/Technique - The paper under review employed both online and field experimental methods to investigate the impact of direct and indirect advertising appeals on customer perceptions and behavior. Findings - The study under review found that indirect appeal ads, particularly those involving third-party endorsements, effectively reduced perceptions of greed and increased actual purchasing behavior toward FPRCs. While the study offers valuable insights, this review identifies several limitations, including the absence of a guiding theoretical framework and a narrow focus on food products. Moreover, it suggests that indirect appeal strategies may not be universally effective across all religious contexts, particularly in Islamic settings where transparency and direct ethical communication are emphasized. Novelty - This review introduces new insights by examining the applicability of indirect advertising strategies from an Islamic perspective. It challenges the universality of indirect appeals for all FPRCs, proposing that direct appeals may be more effective in contexts where businesses, particularly in the food sector, must adhere to specific religious requirements, such as Halal principles. This perspective encourages deeper exploration of religious and ethical influences on advertising effectiveness. Type of Paper - Review"