Roles of Power State and Message Types on Restaurant Store Brand Attitude

Purpose – This research aims to find the moderation roles of power states in the effects of four message types (competence self-referencing, competence self-defining, warmth self-referencing, warmth self-defining) on brand attitude. Research design, data, and methodology – A restaurant brand was used as an experimental object, and 4(message types: warmth self-defining message, warmth self-referencing message, competence self-defining message, competence self-referencing message) x 2(power: high power and low power) between-subjects design was employed. Through on-line survey in Nepal, we collected a total of 240 individuals composed of eight experimental groups with 30 members in Nepal. Results – Consumers under low power state formed more positive brand attitude at the warmth self-defining message than any other types of message, while under high power condition, there are neither the attitude differences between competence self-referencing message and competence self-defining message, nor those between competence self-referencing message and warm self-defining message. The significant attitude differences showed between competence self-referencing message and warmth self-referencing message. Conclusions – This study contributes to the advertising theory development. Restaurant store marketers should deliver warmth self-defining message rather than the other three types of message to consumers under low power state, and they should not deliver warmth self-referencing message to consumers under high power state.