The effect of color and self-view priming in persuasive communications

We examine how the associative properties of the color red relate to an independent self-view, and their impact on advertising message processing and persuasion. In study 1, using explicit measures, we demonstrate that red is associated with independence-focused words. In study 2, employing an Implicit Association Test, we further examine the congruence of independence and red, and observe an identical pattern of results. In study 3, we test these findings in a social marketing context (diabetes testing). We find that participants' behavioral intentions to comply with an advertisement's advocated position are enhanced when red ad backgrounds are matched with an independent self-construal prime. In study 4, these findings are replicated in a more typical consumer behavior context (restaurant patronage), and indicate that processing fluency and perceived ad believability are mediators of the observed effects on participants' behavioral intentions. We conclude by discussing the practical and theoretical implications of our work.