Increasing the Efficacy of Emotional Appeal Ads on Online Video-Watching Platforms: The Effects of Goals and Emotional Approach Tendency on Ad-Skipping Behavior

Author ORCID Identifier

Yongwoog Andrew Jeon: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5927-7707

Publication Title

Journal of Advertising

ISSN

00913367

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Using an experimental tool that tracks viewers’ real-time ad-skipping behavior, the current research tested when and why a highly arousing emotional appeal ad that induces a set of complex discrete emotions can reduce the ad-skipping rate on social media platforms such as YouTube. Across three experiments, we showed the following results. First, the ad-skipping rate of emotional appeal ads was lower among consumers who had the goal of watching emotional (versus informational) videos. Second, ad-elicited empathy mediated this effect. Third, the effects of the emotional appeal ad on ad-skipping behaviors were contingent upon consumers’ predisposition to approach emotional experiences. Among consumers who were seeking emotional experiences, higher levels of empathy resulted in lower ad-skipping rates and longer ad-viewing duration when the emotional appeal of the ad matched with the emotional goal of video watching; in contrast, among consumers who were not seeking emotional experiences, the opposite effect was found.

Publication Date

1-1-2022

DOI

10.1080/00913367.2022.2073299

Department

Department of Marketing

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