When Products Come Alive: Interpersonal Communication Norms Induce Positive Word of Mouth for Anthropomorphized Products

Abstract

Across five experiments, this research finds that product anthropomorphism enhances consumers’ intention to share positive thoughts in their word-of-mouth (WOM) communication about such products, in the hope of creating a favorable interpersonal impression about themselves. Our theorizing suggests that the effect occurs because consumers apply a norm that originates in human-related communication—namely, that speaking positively of other people creates a more likable impression of speakers by making them seem more kind and polite—to their WOM for anthropomorphized products (study 1). As a result, when an impression management motive is salient, consumers display greater overall positivity in their WOM for an anthropomorphized product than for its non-anthropomorphized equivalent (study 2). Support for this prediction is found across various measures of WOM positivity. Furthermore, in line with this conceptualization, anthropomorphism-induced positivity diminishes (a) when consumers are less concerned about impression management, such as when talking to a close friend (study 3), (b) when an opposing accuracy motive overpowers the impression management motive (study 4), or (c) when the underlying belief that positivity will yield favorable impressions is itself challenged (study 5). Our conceptualization and findings inform and extend research on consumer WOM communication, product anthropomorphism, and impression management.

consumer word of mouth, interpersonal communication norms, product anthropomorphism, impression management