Advertising to bilinguals:

Which language should be used in ads for bilinguals?

previous findings

• 1. native language more persuasive, identity and accomodation
• (Deshpande, et al. 1986, 1994, 2001)
• 2. effectiveness due to ease of processing
• (Luna and Peracchio, 1999, 2001)
• 3. some words are more emotion-laden in native language 

the fourth perspective

Context and language

• medium of experience
• context can cue language 
• but-------------can language cue context?
• cultural frame-switching: language cues personality and culture

hypothesis

H1: Native-language ads elicit more FFHH thoughts than L2

H2: H1 moderated by context, effect stronger in L1 context

H3: rise in FFHH thoughts results in positive attitude

2 studies

• Study 1: test fundamental hypothesis of H1. 
• different languages evoke different thoughts (FFHH)
• Study 2: confirm H1, examine effect of context (H2)
• and whether thoughts affect ad effectiveness (H3)

Study 1

participants

• 82 adults, advanced ESL, Houston & LA
• 41 women, 41 men
• average age: 27

design

• two language conditions: "translate" and "no-translate"--randomly assigned
• ask participants in "translate" condition to translate English ad
• ensure semantic equivalency
• accommodate wide array of languages

stimuli & procedure

• 2 ads: a practice and a focal ad
• log=on online, participated at their leisure and pace
• For "translate" condition, box beside ad to type
• For "no-translate" condition, just the ad

We are interested in knowing how people translate ads into other languages. Please look at the next advertisement. Look at the ad as you would normally look at ads when you are reading a magazine. In the box to the right of the ad, please type how the ad would read in your native language When you are finished, click the 'next' button.

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This time, please keep track of all your thoughts as you are looking at the advertisement.

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rationale

• restaurant category, neutral consumption context
• focus on product, not asking for self-referencing

Measures

• respondents asked to write down every thought they remebered
• thoughts about FFHH coded as 1)
• all other thoughts coded 0)
• thoughts coded by independent coders, blind to conditions

Measures cont'd

• Sauer, Dickson, and Lord's scheme codes (1992)
• code each thought across 4 dimensions
• 1) target of thought
• 2) type of thought
• 3) personal relevance of thought    4) polarity

Results

• mean number of thoughts not significant
• language did not elicit cognitive elaboration
• However...

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Thoughts related to FFHH

• mean number of thoughts not significant, elaboration not language-based
• significant difference in FFHH thoughts
• "no translate": 1.6%

some FFHH-related thoughts

• "I was reminded of the delicious food my mother makes"
• "...chicken cooking in the skillet and about neighborhoods in Mexico"
• "I remember thinking how people back home really grow chickens."

Results Cont'd

• prove H1, that language trigger FFHH thoughts
• however, no significance in overall polarity (positive, negative)
• indicators of ad effectiveness
• language influence thought doesn't help elicit positive emotions

Study 2

Participants

• Spanish surname subscribers of online newspaper
• newspaper---runs selected stories in both Spanish and English
• Screened  to meet min requirement of Spanish and English proficiency
• 259 participants
• 41% men, 59% women, average age 38

design

• 2 x 2 study: Spanish vs. English, L1 vs. L2
• Fictitious restaurant ad, lunch or dinner (stronger family context)
• Initial participants randomly assigned: Sl, Sd, El, Ed
• Later participants: dinner ad for efficiency
• Sd: 80, Sl: 49, Ed: 81, El: 49

stimuli & procedure

• 2 ads: practice and focal ad
• also online, done at their own time

On the next page, you will see an ad. It may or may not be written in English. All we want you to do is take a moment to look at the ad and keep a mental account of every single thought you are having as you look at the ad.

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On the next page you will see one more advertisement. Again, the ad may or may not be written in English. This time, we would like you to write down every thought you are having as you look at the ad.

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rationale

• Restaurant category, consistent with Study 1
• manipulation of consumption context
• "think back to the last time you enjoyed a special lunch/dinner"
• facilitate self-referencing: provide little context

procedure cont'd

• Manipulation checks----ask participants to confirm language of ad
• Bilingual's level of acculturation: important moderator for ad effectivenes
• 1) whether participant born in the U.S. (58% U.S. born)
• 2) language used at home (Spanish: 43%, English: 57%)
• 3) which language considered native language (Spanish: 69%, English: 31%)

measures

• Thoughts coded like Study 1, FFHH, and Sauer, Dickson, Lord's scheme
• Assessed 1) attitude toward the ad
• 2) attitude toward the brand
• 3) purchase intention
• 4) involvement with product

Results

• First half: FFHH-realted thoughts in relation to context
• full-factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) 
• acculturation variables as covariates

FFHH-related thoughts

results

• Interaction between language and context significant
• Spanish-dinner condition yielded higher proportion of FFHH-thoughts
• Support H2
• Acculturation, no significant effect

results for structural models

• push beyond language and context and account variable of attitude
• Dual-mediation model (MacKenzie, Lutz, and Belch 1986). 
• Paths: 
• 1) language   2) consumption context 
• 3) interaction of language and consumption context   4) proportion of FFHH

What's it all for?

• Test relationships
• Native language elicit more FFHH-related thoughts (H1)
• Stronger for native-language consumption context (H2)
• Proportion of FFHH thoughts to attitude towards ad, brand
•       and purchase intention

the result of results

choice of language can influence the nature of thoughts

FFHH-related thoughts have a positive impact on attitude

implication

• Advertising to minorities in L1 have benefits
• vary across product categories and elements in ad (context)
• Language as a whole triggers memories, not specific words

Limitations and further research

• Study 1: in "no-translate" condition, may translate in their head
• Verbal account---but people often do not think in words (Kagan 2002)
• Print advertising vs. TV or digital media
• Other ways to operationalize context---e.g. restaurant, meal

Thanks for listening