Consumer perceptions of the ethicality of re-targeting online advertising
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics
ISSN: 1355-5855
Article publication date: 7 November 2023
Issue publication date: 9 April 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Online advertising becomes an essential tool to reach the target audience. One of the most widely used strategies is re-targeting. Firstly, this study explores the impact of ethics, privacy and ads' perceived benefits (ad effectiveness and ad relevance) on consumers' attitudes toward online advertising. Secondly, the study investigates the mediating effect of attitudes toward re-targeting online advertising on consumers' purchase intentions. Finally, the study investigates the moderating effect of the perceived ethicality of re-targeting online advertising on consumers' purchase intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants (n = 307) were recruited through an online survey platform (MTurk) in the USA. The sample consisted of 65% male and 35% female respondents. The majority are aged 25–34 years, followed by 35–44 years (20%), 45–54 years (14%), 18–24 years (8%) and 55 years and older (6%).
Findings
The results show that ad effectiveness and ad relevance influenced consumers' attitudes toward re-targeting. This study shows that consumers are willing to trade their privacy for better search quality. Moreover, perceptions toward the ethicality of re-targeting ads moderated the relationship between consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions.
Research limitations/implications
This study will make several contributions. First, the study will extend the consequential theory in the context of online advertising. Second, the study will assist companies in using re-targeting strategies. The results will reveal which factor is the most important factor impacting consumers' attitudes toward re-targeting strategies.
Originality/value
This is one of the first few papers investigating consumers' perceptions of the ethicality of re-targeting online advertising.
Keywords
Citation
Arli, D. (2024), "Consumer perceptions of the ethicality of re-targeting online advertising", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 878-898. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-10-2022-0841
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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