Message sequencing of rational and emotional appeals: A study on consumer brand and product attitudes

Message sequencing is a promising area of research. This study sheds light on consumer attitudinal responses, namely attitudes toward the corporate and product brand, by examining the effects of sequencing rational and emotional appeals in marketing messages. Using a between-subjects experiment and a stratified random sample, the study found that using an emotional-rational message sequence produces more favorable product brand attitudes among consumers as compared to using a rational-emotional message sequence. However, message sequencing had no significant effects on consumers´ attitudes toward the corporate brand. Implications, limitations, and future research directions from the study´s findings are discussed.