PPB June 2015

Benevolent Halo Effect

A new study in the

Journal of

Consumer Research

uses the term

“benevolent halo effect” to describe

the positive feelings consumers often

have about a brand’s products upon

learning the company is engaged in

corporate social responsibility.

Discovering a company is socially

engaged commonly leads customers

to perceive the brand’s products to

be better performing and higher qual-

ity. One thing to note about the

benevolent halo effect, however, is

that results diminish when a brand

advertises its charitable efforts.

Research shows it’s better for compa-

nies to share good deeds via social

media or PR efforts.

66 •

PPB

• JUNE 2015

THINK

FAST FORWARD

Consumers feel most comfortable purchasing from

small businesses due to fears of online security

breaches that have plagued many U.S. big-box

stores. Research from

Web.com

has found small

businesses that can offer the same technology

solutions as corporations—mobile apps, user-

friendly websites and security—combined with the

personal touches small business is known for can

easily stand out in the marketplace.

BIZWORDS

Small But Safe

Don’t take for granted that four-color is always the

best choice for illustrating product images. Marketing

researchers have found using color photography in

catalogs, sales fliers and other marketing can cause

clients to focus on small product details instead of

practical matters, such as cost and functionality.

Black-and-white images, however, keep clients

focused on big-picture concerns like products’ form

and function.

COLOR CODE