Turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity through emotional attachment. Brand communication in an anxiety-provoking media environment
Type de matériel :
24
This article aims to determine the message that was most beneficial to a French brand during the COVID-19 crisis in terms of image and purchase intentions, and to explore the reasons for its effectiveness. Our survey shows that in late April 2021 in France, a pro-vaccination message focused on the possibility of ending the pandemic and returning to normal life thanks to vaccination was more efficient than a pro-social message (emphasizing that the company helps those who are struggling) or a political message (criticizing the government’s management of the crisis). However, the positive influence of this pro-vaccination message on the brand’s image only occurs in an anxiety-provoking context, when the participants have just read an alarmist article on the future development of the pandemic. Media framing thus constitutes a contextual variable that moderates the impact of this message on brand image. Emotional attachment to the brand also plays a mediating role in the positive effect of the message on the image as well as on purchase intentions.
Réseaux sociaux