Representational shifts: Increasing motivation for bottled water through simulation-enhancing advertisements

Claassen, M. A. and Papies, E. (2023) Representational shifts: Increasing motivation for bottled water through simulation-enhancing advertisements. BMC Public Health, 23, 2209. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17109-1) (PMID:37946180) (PMCID:PMC10634071)

Abstract

Background Despite its numerous health benefits, consumers’ daily water consumption is below recommend levels while soft drink consumption remains high. Previous research has shown that the degree to which drinks are cognitively represented in terms of consumption and enjoyment (i.e., through simulations of consumption and reward) predicts desire and intake. Here, we examined whether simulation-enhancing advertisements that frame water in terms of consumption and reward change cognitive representations and increase motivation for a fictitious bottled water. Methods In three pre-registered online experiments (Nexp1 = 984; Nexp2 = 786; Nexp3 = 907), UK participants viewed three advertisements that either highlighted the rewarding consumption experience of water (e.g., “Refresh all your senses with this smooth, cool water”; simulation-enhancing ads), the health consequences of drinking water (e.g., “This water takes care of your health”; health-focused ads), or control ads. We assessed cognitive representations of the bottled water with a semantic feature production task, and we coded the words used as consumption and reward features or positive long-term health consequences features. We assessed motivation through ratings of the attractiveness of the water (Exp. 1 only), desire to drink it, and willingness to pay for it (WTP). Results In line with our hypotheses, participants represented the bottled water more in terms of consumption and reward after viewing simulation-enhancing advertisements, and more in terms of positive long-term health consequences after viewing health-focused advertisements. There was no direct effect of advertisement condition on motivation ratings. However, significant indirect effects showed that simulation-enhancing advertisements increased desire and WTP through the proportion of consumption and reward features, whereas health-focused advertisements increased motivation through an increase in the proportion of positive long-term health consequences features. The effects through consumption and reward were stronger. Conclusions These findings are consistent with research suggesting that the experience of immediate reward from drinking water underlies intake. Public health interventions should emphasize the enjoyment of drinking water, rather than the long-term health benefits.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by ESRC Research Grant ES/R005419/1. Open access funding provided by Max Planck Society.
• Keywords: water consumption, reward, advertisements, health intervention.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Claassen, Mrs Maria Almudena and Papies, Dr Esther
• Authors: Claassen, M. A., and Papies, E.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: BMC Public Health
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• ISSN: 1471-2458
• ISSN (Online): 1471-2458
• Copyright Holders: Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023
• First Published: First published in BMC Public Health 23: 2209
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
300426		The psychology of sugary drinks: The role of consumption and reward simulations	Esther Papies	Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)	ES/R005419/1	Psychology