Consumer Perception of Marketing Persuasion: Content, Antecedents, and Behavioral Consequences

Abstract

The article aims to develop a conceptual model that integrates main research findings on consumer perception of marketing persuasion and unfolds its content, antecedents, and behavioral consequences. To handle the purpose, the author reviews the related studies published in 1994–2015. The systematic literature review shows that consumer perception of marketing persuasion consists of several perceptual operations, such as recognition, causal interpretation and evaluation of a persuasion attempt. The result of the above operations is a perceptual (mental) image determined by consumer, marketing, and situational factors. Depending on the perceptual image of marketing persuasion formed in the consumer mind, consumers can adopt a variety of tactics to resist persuasion such as counterarguments, discrediting a firm, withdrawal from relationships with a firm, requests to consumer organizations, and market skepticism. The study contributes to marketing persuasion literature by combining conceptual theorizations articulated in the seminal article by Friestad and Wright with empirical evidence appeared afterwards. Thus the theory is enriched and clarifi ed. Firstly, it sheds light upon how different aspects of phenomenon are addressed in the extant studies, and shows how the studies are connected. Secondly, the paper clarifies the content of consumer perception and delineates different perceptual operations. Ultimately, the antecedents and consequences of consumer perception of marketing persuasion are systematized in the article. Considering the fact that consumer perception of marketing persuasion affects consumer response to marketing persuasion attempts, it is reasonable for firms to consider this process before undertaking any marketing action aimed at consumers.