“It doesn't bother me that much”: The congruence effect of product types and ad appeals on the effectiveness of sponsored ads on Instagram

Based on the growing prospects of social media advertising, this research examined the interplay between product attributes and ad appeals in sponsored ads on Instagram (Study 1). The findings revealed that congruence between the two variables significantly enhanced consumer responses (ad and product attitudes, purchase intentions). These insights were expanded in an investigation of the underlying mechanism of the congruence effect, for which we determined how perceived ad intrusiveness mediates such an effect (Study 2). The results demonstrated that congruence reduced perceived intrusiveness, which subsequently generated favorable consumer responses. The mediation effect was moderated by consumers’ critical processing levels. The impact of incongruence on perceived ad intrusiveness was more pronounced at high critical processing than at low critical processing. The findings clarify the mechanisms involved in the crucial characteristics of sponsored ads on social media. This research also provides practitioners with insights into how to communicate with potential consumers via sponsored ads on social media platforms.