Because I’m Worth It: Belief in a Just World and Deservingness as Constructs for Targeted Marketing

Abstract

Advertisements hailing consumers as ‘deserving’ of a product are common within contemporary marketing, yet their effectiveness relative to traditional appeals to hedonic or utilitarian motives receives little attention. This warrants investigation because deservingness-based advertising offers cost-effective methods of promotion, capable of engaging diverse market segments within a single advertising schedule. Given evidence suggesting individuals are motivated to get what one deserves, this study proposes that the belief in a just world will moderate the effectiveness of advertisements appealing to a deservingness motive. 182 participants from the crowd-sourcing service Figure 8 responded to an online survey. They were randomly allocated to one of five groups, each viewing an identical image of in-ear headphones with a different marketing slogan. Using 6-point Likert scales, participants rated how effectively they perceived the advertisement motivated a product purchase and recommendation, then denoted their belief in a just world for the self and others. Analyses of covariance and multiple regression indicated that deservingness advertising encouraged purchasing intentions relative to hedonic or utilitarian promotion, but was unrelated to advertisement efficacy or participants’ willingness to recommend the product. Furthermore, the relationship between deservingness advertising and advertisement effectiveness was moderated by the belief in a just world for the self, but not for others. Overall, the data supported the effectiveness of deservingness-based advertising and emphasised belief in a just world as a marketable consumer trait. Accordingly, future research should consider applying the current findings to service- and electronic-based consumption. Current limitations and directions for further research are also discussed.