Tag Archives: Empathy gap

Publications

People choose an aesthetic pen when exposed to a sexual image

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Geng, L., & Joo, J. (2023). A sexual photo and a dolphin shaped pen: Effect of visceral state on hedonic choice. Actas de Diseno, 18(43), 245–249.

Abstract

We investigate whether visceral state and temporal distance influenced their choice between a hedonic and a utilitarian product. We hypothesize that consumers are more likely to choose a hedonic product when they are hot (e.g., hungry or sexually driven) than when they are cold (e.g., not hungry or not sexually driven). We further hypothesize that the effect of visceral state on hedonic-utilitarian choice is moderated by temporal distance; hot-cold choice difference disappears when consumers make a choice in the distant future. Our two hypotheses were supported by two experiments. We discuss academic contributions and managerial implications of our findings.

Keywords

Visceral state, hedonic, utilitarian, temporal distance

Publications

How to write and when to send traffic-boosting mobile coupons?

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Chu, W., & Joo, J. (2024). Targeting effectiveness of mobile coupons: from exposure to purchase. Journal of Marketing Analytics, 12, 342-354.

Abstract

This research examines the effectiveness of traffic-boosting mobile coupons through a randomized field experiment of over half a million South Korean consumers. The research question analyzes the effectiveness of the content (six message types) and context (three days out of the week for coupon distribution) of mobile coupons on response-to-coupon, store visits, and purchase amount for a health and beauty retail chain. Big data on individual customers, gathered from a field experiment, was analyzed through bivariate probit, mediation analysis, and tobit regression. The results show that message content affects store visits, which was fully mediated through response-to-coupon. In particular, messages that “made the amount of discount salient” and “formed a personal connection” were more effective than other messages. In terms of context, messages sent during the weekdays were more effective in increasing store visit, than those sent during the weekend.

Keywords

Mobile promotion · Mobile coupon · Message content · Message context · Coupon distribution · Field experiment

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our deep gratitude to Hyojung Kim, Sul Namgoong, and Joongjae Lee at Shinhan Card for their assistance with the collection of our data.

Please see the case study in Korean language here

Cases

Traffic light labels help us drink less wine

1 Comment

People often do things while drunk that they regret when they sober up. Opening expensive wines is one of them. In order to solve this problem and, more academically speaking, to overcome the hot-cold empathy gap (proposed by George Loewenstein), I adopted traffic light system.

I place red sticky notes on the definitely expensive wines that I should NOT open while drunk. Yellow sticky notes go for the relatively expensive wines that I stop and, hopefully, think once more while drunk. Daily wines have no sticky notes. Thanks to this simple traffic light system, I regret less in the morning. 🙂

DML_Wine label