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Monochrome Forests and Colorful Trees: The Effect of Black-and-White versus Color Imagery on Construal Level

Author

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  • Hyojin Lee
  • Xiaoyan Deng
  • H. Rao Unnava
  • Kentaro Fujita

Abstract

Marketing communications (e.g., advertising, packaging) can be either colorful or black and white. This research investigates how presence or absence of color affects consumer information processing. Drawing from construal-level and visual perception theory, five experiments test the hypothesis that black-and-white (BW) versus color imagery is cognitively associated with high-level versus low-level construal, respectively. Experiment 1 establishes this association via an Implicit Association Test. On the basis of this association, experiments 2 and 3 show that BW (vs. color) imagery promotes high-level (vs. low-level) construal, leading to sorting objects on the basis of high-level (vs. low-level) features, segmenting behaviors into broader (vs. narrower) units, and interpreting actions as ends (vs. means). Extending this effect into consumer decision making, experiments 4 and 5 further show that consumers presented with BW (vs. color) product pictures weight primary and essential (vs. secondary and superficial) product features more and prefer an option that excels on those features.

Suggested Citation

  • Hyojin Lee & Xiaoyan Deng & H. Rao Unnava & Kentaro Fujita, 2014. "Monochrome Forests and Colorful Trees: The Effect of Black-and-White versus Color Imagery on Construal Level," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 41(4), pages 1015-1032.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:41:y:2014:i:4:p:1015-1032.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1086/678392
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    Cited by:

    1. Nenkov, Gergana Y. & Morrin, Maureen & Maille, Virginie & Rank-Christman, Tracy & Lwin, May O., 2019. "Sense and sensibility: The impact of visual and auditory sensory input on marketplace morality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 428-441.
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    3. Schweitzer, Fiona & Mai, Robert, 2021. "The double-edged sword of intricate idea enactment in product development," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 392-402.
    4. Ran Duan & Christian Bombara, 2022. "Visualizing climate change: the role of construal level, emotional valence, and visual literacy," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Mohamed Didi Alaoui & Fabien Pecot & Altaf Merchant & Mathieu Kacha, 2024. "Step back in time! A construal level perspective on advertisements using brand longevity cues," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 503-518, September.
    6. Rizomyliotis, Ioannis & Konstantoulaki, Kleopatra & Kostopoulos, Ioannis, 2018. "Reassessing the effect of colour on attitude and behavioural intentions in promotional activities: The moderating role of mood and involvement," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 204-215.
    7. Kim, Jungkeun & Spence, Mark T. & Marshall, Roger, 2018. "The Color of Choice: The Influence of Presenting Product Information in Color on the Compromise Effect," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 167-185.
    8. Yuanqiong He & Junfang Zhang & Yuanyuan Zhou & Zhilin Yang, 2019. "“Monkey See, Monkey Do?”: The Effect of Construal Level on Consumers’ Reactions to Others’ Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(2), pages 455-472, May.
    9. Kelting, Katie & Berry, Christopher & van Horen, Femke, 2019. "The presence of copycat private labels in a product set increases consumers' choice ease when shopping with an abstract mindset," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 264-274.
    10. Ran Duan & Adam Zwickle & Bruno Takahashi, 2017. "A construal-level perspective of climate change images in US newspapers," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 345-360, June.
    11. Grossman, Ori & Rachamim, Matti, 2024. "How can coffee shops draw customers back after COVID-19? the influence of psychological distance on coffee versus tea preference," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    12. Ketron, Seth & Naletelich, Kelly & Migliorati, Stefano, 2021. "Representational versus abstract imagery: Effects on purchase intentions between vice and virtue foods," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 52-62.
    13. Li, Chenxi & Xia, Xinyue & Lin, Yixun & Wen, Hanlin, 2024. "Polluted cognition: The effect of air pollution on online purchasing behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Tiansheng Xia & Xiujuan Fan & Jingwei Zhang & Tingting Liu, 2023. "Influence of Complexity in Low-Fat Food Packaging on Chinese Consumers’ Purchase Intentions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Jeff Wiebe & Debra Z. Basil & Mary Runté, 2017. "Psychological distance and perceived consumer effectiveness in a cause-related marketing context," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 14(2), pages 197-215, June.
    16. Castagna, Ana Carina & Pinto, Diego Costa & Mattila, Anna & de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra, 2021. "Beauty-is-good, ugly-is-risky: Food aesthetics bias and construal level," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 633-643.
    17. Wang, Lili & You, Yanfen & Yang, Chun-Ming, 2020. "Restrained by resources: The effect of scarcity cues and childhood socioeconomic status (SES) on consumer preference for feasibility," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 557-571.
    18. Krishna, Aradhna & Cian, Luca & Aydınoğlu, Nilüfer Z., 2017. "Sensory Aspects of Package Design," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 43-54.
    19. Kevin L. Sample & Henrik Hagtvedt & S. Adam Brasel, 2020. "Components of visual perception in marketing contexts: a conceptual framework and review," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 405-421, May.
    20. Stillman, Paul E. & Fujita, Kentaro & Sheldon, Oliver & Trope, Yaacov, 2018. "From “me” to “we”: The role of construal level in promoting maximized joint outcomes," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 16-25.
    21. Choi, Jungsil & Li, Yexin Jessica & Rangan, Priyamvadha & Yin, Bingqing & Singh, Surendra N., 2020. "Opposites attract: Impact of background color on effectiveness of emotional charity appeals," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 644-660.
    22. Daniele Scarpi, 2021. "A construal-level approach to hedonic and utilitarian shopping orientation," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 261-271, June.
    23. Michael Ahearne & Yashar Atefi & Son K. Lam & Mohsen Pourmasoudi, 2022. "The future of buyer–seller interactions: a conceptual framework and research agenda," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 22-45, January.
    24. Chang, Jung-Hua & Chen, Jyun-Yu, 2022. "Let the sports endorser speak: Combination of endorser type, color, and copy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 939-950.
    25. Liu, Stephanie Q. & Wu, Laurie Luorong & Yu, Xi & Huang, Huiling, 2022. "Marketing online food images via color saturation: A sensory imagery perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 366-378.

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