University Project: Shock Advertising Effectiveness on Media Platforms

This project investigates the effectiveness of shock advertising across various media platforms, including television, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It examines the impact of shock advertising on consumer buying behavior, analyzing both its positive and negative effects. The research explores the use of different shock stimuli, such as visceral, soul, and intellectual shock, to understand how they influence audience attention and brand awareness. The study also considers the ethical implications of shock advertising, particularly the potential for offending viewers and violating social norms. The project aims to provide recommendations for UK marketers on how to effectively use shock advertising while minimizing negative impacts and maximizing consumer engagement. The research methodology includes a literature review, a discussion of research philosophy and design, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. The findings reveal the relationship between shock advertising and consumer behavior, offering insights into the strategies that can be employed to enhance brand awareness and influence purchase intention.

Running head: EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA
PLATFORMS
The Effectiveness of Shock Advertising on Different Media Platforms
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Authors Note:

1EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
Executive Summary
Shock adverting on distinct media platforms has a profound impact on the audiences that is
deemed to witness positive results for the brands. Negative pictorial or video depictions on
television, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram based media channels can provoke strong emotions
among the target consumer base including revelation and fear. The research had significance in
analyzing the manners in which such advertising strategies can be launched in several media
channels having high reach such as television, Face book, Twitter and Instead in attracting
audience’s attention and encouraging them to purchase. The research has also revealed the
consumer behavior towards such advertisements launched by marketers on the media channels so
that it appeals to the audience feelings. The findings of the research explains several effective
techniques in which the shock advertisements can act as shock stimuli for the audiences and
accordingly the messages are comprehended along with changing their behavior towards the
brand. From analyzing the findings of the correlation and regression analysis it was gathered that
there is an insignificant relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Despite
of observing increased young consumers attraction towards shock advertisements, the marketers
of the UK brands needs to ensure to change elements in sustaining the success of the promotional
campaigns.

2EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
Acknowledgement
I would like to express the deepest appreciation to my committee chair Professor, who has the
attitude and the substance of a genius: he continually and convincingly conveyed a spirit of
adventure in regard to research and scholarship, and an excitement in regard to teaching. Without
his guidance and persistent help this dissertation would not have been possible.

3EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................5
1.1. Research Background.......................................................................................................5
1.2. Research Problem.............................................................................................................6
1.3. Research Significance.......................................................................................................7
1.4. Research Aim and Objectives...............................................................................................7
1.5. Research Questions...............................................................................................................8
1.6. Research Hypotheses........................................................................................................8
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................9
2.1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................9
2.2. Concept and Impact of shock Advertising............................................................................9
2.3. Media Platforms for Advertising........................................................................................11
2.4. Consumer Buying Behavior Theory...................................................................................12
2.5. Impact of Shock Advertising on Different Media platforms..............................................13
2.6. Research Gap......................................................................................................................14
2.7. Conceptual Framework.......................................................................................................14
2.8. Summary.............................................................................................................................15
Chapter 3: Research Methodology................................................................................................16
3.1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................16

4EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
3.2. Research Philosophy...........................................................................................................17
3.3. Research Approach.............................................................................................................17
3.4. Research Design.................................................................................................................18
3.5. Data Collection Methods....................................................................................................19
3.6. Sampling and Sample Size.................................................................................................20
3.7. Data Analysis......................................................................................................................20
3.8. Ethical Considerations........................................................................................................21
3.9. Limitations..........................................................................................................................21
3.10. Summary...........................................................................................................................22
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion..............................................................................................22
4.1. Data Analysis and Findings................................................................................................22
4.2. Discussion...........................................................................................................................65
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations..............................................................................68
5.1. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................68
5.2. Recommendations...............................................................................................................68
References......................................................................................................................................71
Appendix........................................................................................................................................75
Questionnaire on Effects of Shock Advertising on Consumer Buying Behavior on Distinct
Media Platforms.........................................................................................................................75

5EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1. Research Background
Advertising is considered to be an attempt by the marketers to persuade and inform as
huge number of people regarding product offerings and it is all about delivering controlled
messages to huge target consumer base of companies. The advertisements are launched in
different media channels such as television, billboards and social media sites for persuading them
to buy them (Andrews and Shimp 2017). However, such advertisements can also be employed in
promoting certain ideas in accordance with controversial subjects that is recently affecting the
society in which the company is operating its business. In addition, the brands deliver
information that can persuade audiences to purchase their behavior along with developing
awareness on social concerns such as on politics, health, environmental and social concerns
through implementing “shock advertisement” strategy. This strategy refers to specific features
that are acquitted by such advertisements such as controversial, explicit, disturbing and crass at
the time of delivering brand promotional message. Shock advertisement is also tending among
the marketers in the recent years in order to attain competitive advantages through increasing
consumer awareness to a great extent (Li and Lopez 2015). This type of advertising is observed
to increase increased attention from the audiences and is known into increase brand popularity.
This is for the reasons that shock advertising implements certain strategies in persuade the target
audiences that includes majorly guilty, fear and compassion. In such manner, the combination of
such feelings persuaded by the promotional messages of a brand is anticipated to work well in
increasing brand awareness among target audiences. However, improper development of shock
advertising content can lead the brand to face negative word-of-mouth through offending

6EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
audiences. Shock advertisements if developed creatively can be effective in appealing target
audiences feelings along with increasing retention among them (Li and Lopez 2015).
1.2. Research Problem
Shock advertisement is employed by several marketers in the current competitive business
environment as it is known to generate shock stimuli that influences consumers in a positive
manner. The comprehension of the promotional messages are observed to increase the retention
rate among the viewers and considering same, there are three types of shock advertisement
employed by marketers such as visceral, soul and intellectual shock (Li and Lopez 2015). When
the target audiences watches such shock advertisements in distinct media channels regarding a
particular concern, one among the three levels such as social, environmental and health levels are
deemed to react. Although having such positive advantages of implementing shock advertising
strategies in attaining brand awareness, a rising concern has also been observed regarding the
effectiveness of shock advertisement for several brands. Despite shock advertising being
effective in attracting target audiences attention along with facilitating retention among them,
they can also be viewed by audiences in negative manners that can affect the brand image of a
company. (Li and Lopez 2015) Such type of advertisements launched in different media
platforms can turn out to be offending for the viewers. Such offenses are closely associated with
violating social or religious norms. Such violations of shared expectations in a social group of
rules are considered unacceptable. Marketers are making increased attempts to develop shock
advertisements in a manner that showing certain promotional messages and images do not
violate norms in any manner. They are considering avoiding certain negative influencers such as
obscenity, profanity, religious taboos and sexual references to positively persuade consumers to
be brand aware through shock advertisement.

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1.3. Research Significance
Considering the research problem faced by the marketers, the current research has offered
several research implications in analyzing the most effective ways in which shock advertising
strategies can be employed by the marketers in UK in attaining increased brand awareness
among viewers. The research had significance in analyzing the manners in which such
advertising strategies can be launched in several media channels having high reach such as
television, Face book, Twitter and Instead in attracting audience’s attention and encouraging
them to purchase (Li and Lopez 2015). The research has also revealed the consumer behavior
towards such advertisements launched by marketers on the media channels so that it appeals to
the audience feelings. The findings of the research explains several effective techniques in which
the shock advertisements can act as shock stimuli for the audiences and accordingly the
messages are comprehended along with changing their behavior towards the brand. Shock
advertisements can also serve as an effective promotional tool for the UK marketers in
developing increased awareness within the society and to ensure same the research has
recommended certain considerations that must be taken in account not by the marketers in
decreasing offensive effect of the advertisements on the viewers (Li and Lopez 2015).
1.4. Research Aim and Objectives
The aim of the research is to analyze the effectiveness of shock advertising on different
media platforms that influences buying behavior of consumers. Focused on this aim, the research
objectives those are deemed to be attained through accomplishing the research are indicated
below:
 To analyze the positive and negative impacts of shock advertising strategies

8EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
 To evaluate the shock advertising strategies employed in different media platforms such
as television, Face book, Instagram and Twitter
 To analyze the effect of shock advertising in persuading consumer buying behavior in the
selected media platforms
 To recommend suitable shock advertisement strategies for the marketers of UK in
positively persuading consumer purchase intention
1.5. Research Questions
The research questions those are developed to answer through accomplishment of the current
research are indicated below:
 What are the positive and negative impacts of shock advertising strategies?
 What are the shock advertising strategies employed in different media platforms such as
television, Face book, Instagram and Twitter?
 What is the effect of shock advertising in persuading consumer buying behavior in the
selected media platforms?
 What suitable shock advertisement strategies can be recommended for the marketers of
UK in positively persuading consumer purchase intention?
1.6. Research Hypotheses
The research hypotheses developed to be tested through analyzing the data collected are
indicated below:
 H0: Shock advertisement strategies launched in different media channels have negative
impact on the consumer buying behavior

9EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
 H1: Shock advertisement strategies launched in different media channels have positive
impact on the consumer buying behavior
Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1. Introduction
Acceding to Ferreira et al. (2017) shock advertisement is broadly implemented in practice
and there has been vast theoretical research regarding the subject. Several previous researches
have argument on the positive and negative impacts of shock advertising on prompting a product
or service Previous researches have suggested that in certain instances where the overall
shocking impression produced by the advertisement campaigns attains increased attention
towards the company’s offerings. Considering such instances observed from the previous
researches on the effects of shock adverting, the literature review section analyzed the existing
researches on the shock advertising theory and the consumer behavior theory that has facilitated
in establishing the effect of such advertising campaigns on the target audiences.
2.2. Concept and Impact of shock Advertising
Deuze (2016) stated that shock advertisement has several definitions and explained such
advertising as the use of intentional, offensive, and controversial along with attention grabbing
promotional campaigns for selling a product or service offering of a company. Deride from such
definition, there are numerous types of shock appeals that can be employed by the marketers for
applying shock brand awareness for the audiences. McIntyre and Sobel (2017) stated that shock
advertising makes use of disgusting use of images containing gore, blood, disease, death or
physical harm, obscenity, indecency, moral offensiveness along with the religious taboos. These
researchers have also explained that there are certain variances that influence the shock

10EFFECTIVENESS OF SHOCK ADVERTSING ON DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS
advertising effectiveness. These are variables such as shock level, norm violation and memory
recall that facilitate a marketer in measuring the effectiveness or ineffectiveness related with an
advertisement. Gijsenberg (2017) indicated that there can be two impacts of shock advertising
negative and positive.
Negative Impacts of Shock Advertising
Hamelin, El Moujahid and Thaichon (2017) stated that at times the audiences ignore the
shocking and scary advertisements and they assume that they are not meant for them. The
marketers anticipate that shock advertisement is like addiction where the advertisers require
increasing the dose of shock for getting noticed by the viewer. Moreover, employing nudity, fear
or certain other strong messages might not always be the most effective method to be employed.
In contrast, Bonanno et al. (2017) have argued that in the short term the organizations might be
successful in gathering increased public attention and successfully compete with the business
rivals but in the long term it might deal with the risk of damaging the consumer base along with
brand reputation. The target audiences those are offended by the shock advertising will not
support a cause or acquire any product from a brand using shock advertising campaigns in media
channels to promote their brand.
Positive Impacts of Shock Advertising
…………………indicated that shirking advertisements are effective in evoking stronger
feelings along the consumers and certain shocking content within the advertisement considerably
increases attention, increases memory along with positively impacting consumer behavior.
Consumers are more likely to recall shocking advertisement content over the advertisement
content which is not that shocking. Such kinds of advertisements generate an increased publicity

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along with debate. In constrict, Ferestad and Thompson (2017) revealed that shock advertising
makes the target audiences aware of certain harmful practices such as social causes or fatal
diseases along with promoting donation to charity along with helping needy individuals.
Considering same, it has been stated that shocking advertisement increase the impact of charities
that relatively have small advertising budget within cultured media surroundings.
2.3. Media Platforms for Advertising
Sabri (2017) elucidated that there are several effective media platforms such as traditional
and online that facilitates social interaction. These media channels facilitate in advertisements to
attain wider reach among the millions of people globally. Popular media platforms such as
television, Face book, Twitter and Instagram include users that have profiles or identities which
displays social and demographic information about them. Such interactions of the marketers
through media channels have offered the advertisers’ wit increased opportunities in infiltrating
and displaying their promotional messages to a wide range of online audiences. Andrews and
Shimp (2017) added that successful advertising within such media platforms are not always
straightforward and devoid of problems. There are several concerns faced by certain type of
advertisements such as shock promotional campaign as it can invade privacy along with being
disturbing for the target audiences. Such consideration must be viewed by the markets to
developing promotional among in positively engaging the consumers. Stautz et al. (2017)
explained that Face book is a media platform that facilitates in retargeting ads and also facilitates
in targeting specific user segments those are likely to be interested within the product offerings.
Success in Facebook advertisements is observed through increased rate of positive word-of-
mouth among target audiences. Additionally, Twitter media platform is also used by the
marketers in increasing consumer engagement and its low cost involvement for increasing