Impact of Emotional Appeal Advertising on Consumer Purchase Intention with Special Reference to FMCG Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The vibrant Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in Sri Lanka thrives on understanding consumer psychology. The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of emotional appeal advertising on consumer purchase intention (age 20–29) with special reference to FMCG in Sri Lanka. Questionnaires were used to collect information from respondents in Sri Lanka. The survey was conducted with 384 respondents through the convenience sampling method. For this empirical research study, primary data was collected through a questionnaire, and secondary data was collected through the internet and magazines. The researcher applied a deductive approach for this study. In this study, humor appeal, romance appeal, fear appeal, and guilt appeal were taken to develop the hypothesis. Descriptive statistical tools were applied for data presentation, and the SPSS statistical package was used. Key findings: intense romance appeal boosts product and brand context. Fear appeal works when the promoted fear matches the target audience's phobias and the brand or product is useful. Interestingly, the guilt appeal elevates viewers' accountability and responsibility, hiding the commercial's message. Combining quantitative surveys with qualitative methods like interviews or focus groups can enhance knowledge of consumer attitudes and feelings. This method would overcome the drawback of questionnaire quantitative data.