Innovations in Product Functionality: When and Why Are Explicit Comparisons Effective?

The authors investigate the effects of explicit comparisons in differentiating innovations that offer new functionalities to the consumer. Although marketing communications commonly employ explicit comparisons in launching new product functionalities, the authors suggest that such comparisons are no...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of marketing Vol. 67; no. 2; pp. 49 - 61
Main Authors Ziamou, Paschalina (Lilia), Ratneshwar, S.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Chicago American Marketing Association 01.04.2003
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Advertising campaigns
Behavioral decision theory
Communication
Comparative advertising
Consumer behavior
Consumer research
Consumers
Entertainment
Innovations
Instant messaging
Marketing
News content
Perceptions
Personal computers
Product differentiation
Product innovation
Statistical analysis
Studies
Technological innovation
Television sets
Video recorders
United States > US
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Summary:The authors investigate the effects of explicit comparisons in differentiating innovations that offer new functionalities to the consumer. Although marketing communications commonly employ explicit comparisons in launching new product functionalities, the authors suggest that such comparisons are not always helpful. The authors show that an explicit comparison of a new functionality with an existing functionality is effective only when the new functionality is offered in a device or physical product that is atypical of the existing functionality. However, when the new functionality is offered in a product that is typical of the existing functionality, explicit comparisons tend to backfire because they merely facilitate the assimilation of the new functionality to the prior functionality. The results of three studies provide significant support for the predictions, and a fourth study demonstrates how the backfire effect might be avoided. The authors discuss implications for communication tactics, new product marketing, and consumer behavior theory.
ISSN:0022-2429
1547-7185
DOI:10.1509/jmkg.67.2.49.18606