Fast Disclaimers Affect Buyer Behavior

The study, coauthored by David Allan, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing at Saint Joseph’s University and peers at Northwestern and Wake Forest universities, finds that the speed at which the disclaimer is delivered can impact consumers’ purchase intention toward viewers’ trust in the untrusted (both trust unknown and untrusted) brands.

Quick, rambling statements at the close of commercial spots end most product advertisements heard on the radio or seen on television, whether the product featured is a food, pharmaceutical or consumer good. Most often a list of limits on special deals, terms and conditions, or the side effects of prescription drugs, disclaimers are there as a fast – sometimes very fast – summary of the important information buyers need before they make a purchase. But as necessary as the information is, marketers frequently restrict them to only four seconds of the typical ad’s 30.

For well-known, trusted brands, the speed of the disclaimer doesn’t have an impact, this study found. However, newer and unfamiliar brands without trust equity should be careful of their speed. The faster the disclaimer is recited, the more likely it is that consumers will view the brand as sneaky or untrustworthy, thereby affecting buyer behavior.

“Companies with new brands need to stop talking so fast and start listening to their consumers, not just their lawyers,” says Allan. “Mile-a-minute disclaimers at the end of ads for familiar cars may not affect buyer behavior, but they potentially can in unfamiliar food and pharmaceutical commercials without brand trust.”

The study, “On the Dangers of Pulling a Fast One: Advertisement Disclaimer Speed, Brand Trust and Purchase Intention,” has the potential to impact both advertising and policy making. It is available online and will appear in the February 2012 edition of the Journal of Consumer Research.

Background: Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, Saint Joseph's University advances the professional and personal ambitions of men and women by providing a demanding, yet supportive, educational experience. One of only 141 schools with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and AACSB business school accreditation, Saint Joseph's is home to 4,600 traditional day students, 750 College of Professional and Liberal Studies adult undergraduates and 3,500 graduate and doctoral students. Steeped in the 450-year Jesuit tradition of scholarship and service, Saint Joseph's was named to the 2009 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for General Community Service. The University strives to be recognized as the preeminent Catholic comprehensive university in the Northeast.