The impact of information flow advertising on consumer willingness to pay for knowledge

Purpose The proliferation of digital technologies has established knowledge-based subscription services as a primary choice for users seeking cognitive advancement and emotional fulfillment. As consumer interactions increasingly shift to mobile platforms and fragmented consumption patterns prevail, this study investigates how advertising appeals align with consumer regulatory dispositions to drive payment intentions. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in regulatory focus theory (RFT), this research employs two online experiments to delineate boundary conditions and uncover psychological mechanisms governing advertising appeal effectiveness in knowledge service adoption. Findings Key findings demonstrate that promotion-oriented consumers exhibit enhanced payment intentions through perceived competence when exposed to rational appeals, whereas prevention-oriented individuals show greater willingness-to-pay via perceived warmth from emotional appeals. Originality/value These results systematically clarify the interplay between advertising message framing (rational vs emotional) and consumer regulatory dispositions in shaping digital learning investments, providing actionable guidelines for optimizing information-flow advertising (IFA) campaigns while advancing theoretical understanding of value-based education technologies.