Holiday advertising versus gift cards: Influence of religiosity on retailer evaluations

This research examines how consumers' religiosity influences response to marketing communication mediums that are viewed either actively (e.g., holiday gift cards that are actively sought out) versus passively (e.g., holiday ads that a consumer is passively exposed to). Using an experimental method, this research first shows that consumer religiosity positively influences retailer evaluations. Next, this research examines how an actively viewed marketing communication (using the context of holiday gift cards) versus a passively viewed marketing communication (using the context of holiday ads) influences consumers' evaluations of retailers and the explanatory mechanisms underlying those evaluations. Results show that consumers with higher extrinsic religiosity have higher pride in response to gift cards as opposed to ads, which leads to higher retailer evaluations. In contrast, consumers with higher intrinsic religiosity have lower guilt in response to gift cards as opposed to ads, which also leads to higher retailer evaluations. These findings are discussed in relation to the literature on pride and guilt and build off belief congruence theory. Additionally, implications for marketers and retailers are identified.