TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effect of Sponsorship Disclosure in YouTube Product Reviews
AU - Pfeuffer, Alexander
AU - Lu, Xinyu
AU - Zhang, Yiran
AU - Huh, Jisu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Academy of Advertising.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Facing the rising trend of sponsored product reviews posted on social media, government regulatory agencies have published industry guidelines requiring disclosure of sponsorship in social media product reviews. However, research about the effects of online product review sponsorship disclosures, especially in the social media context, is still limited. To address this problem, the current study tested the effects of sponsorship disclosure in YouTube product reviews on consumers’ persuasion knowledge and attitudinal responses to the product, brand, and the reviewer. Persuasion Knowledge Model and expectancy violations theory were applied to form the theoretical foundation for the study hypotheses. Results from an online experiment revealed: (1) sponsorship disclosure increased consumers’ perceived persuasive intent and appropriateness of a sponsored product review but not their perceived effectiveness of the content; (2) sponsorship disclosure had no significant effect on viewers’ attitudes toward the reviewed product, brand, or the reviewer; and (3) viewers’ expectancy moderated the effects of sponsorship disclosure on persuasion knowledge. Implications of the study findings and limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
AB - Facing the rising trend of sponsored product reviews posted on social media, government regulatory agencies have published industry guidelines requiring disclosure of sponsorship in social media product reviews. However, research about the effects of online product review sponsorship disclosures, especially in the social media context, is still limited. To address this problem, the current study tested the effects of sponsorship disclosure in YouTube product reviews on consumers’ persuasion knowledge and attitudinal responses to the product, brand, and the reviewer. Persuasion Knowledge Model and expectancy violations theory were applied to form the theoretical foundation for the study hypotheses. Results from an online experiment revealed: (1) sponsorship disclosure increased consumers’ perceived persuasive intent and appropriateness of a sponsored product review but not their perceived effectiveness of the content; (2) sponsorship disclosure had no significant effect on viewers’ attitudes toward the reviewed product, brand, or the reviewer; and (3) viewers’ expectancy moderated the effects of sponsorship disclosure on persuasion knowledge. Implications of the study findings and limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85120164420&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10641734.2020.1859023
DO - 10.1080/10641734.2020.1859023
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85120164420
SN - 1064-1734
VL - 42
SP - 391
EP - 410
JO - Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising
JF - Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising
IS - 4
ER -