Going for Equality: How Power States Influence Consumers' Preference For Advertisements With Right‐Enhancing Versus Suffering‐Reducing Appeals

ABSTRACT This research investigates the impact of power states on consumers' preference for brands using right‐enhancing or suffering‐reducing appeals in promoting social equality. Through six studies, the present research shows that consumers with low (vs. high) power tend to exhibit a greater preference for brands using right‐enhancing (vs. suffering‐reducing) appeals. This is because experiencing low (vs. high) power increases consumers’ support for drastic (vs. incremental) social changes to help the disadvantaged group. Additionally, this effect is found to be attenuated when consumers’ perceived social mobility is low. These findings contribute to the existing literature on cause‐related marketing by clarifying the factors and psychological mechanisms that influence consumers’ reactions to various advertising messages focused on equality. Additionally, they provide valuable practical insights for marketers, helping them design effective communication strategies tailored to consumers’ power states to promote social equality initiatives.