Message framing effects on food consumption: A social marketing perspective

Across two studies, this research examines the effects of positive versus negative framing of health messages on food consumption, in the relatively short and long run. Specifically, it studies the effects of multiple exposures to health messages over time (Study 1), using daily food consumption diary data. It replicates and extends those findings in a cross-sectional, single exposure setting to tease out the individual effects of positive and negative framing with consumption intentions as the dependent variable (Study 2). With this combination of an externally and internally valid setup, our research provides robust evidence of the associations of message effectiveness and behavioral outcomes. Our findings suggest that negative messages are more effective than positive messages in the short term but importantly, in the long term as well, suggesting that transforming consumption in the long term can be a viable social marketing objective with the appropriate message tactics. JEL Classification: M31, M37