Abstract:
This thesis investigates how messages which contain only positive information vary
in their effectiveness from messages which portray both positive and negative arguments of
an issue or product The former type is called a one-sided message, while the latter is called
a two-sided message. as it indicates both sides of an issue.
An extensive body of literature has investigated the effects of one-sided and twosided
messages upon respondents over the past 40 years. Results show - albeit inconsistently
- that two·sided messages appear to have both advantages (e.g. increase in source credibility)
and shortcomings (e.g. decrease in purchase intention) when compared to one-sided
messages. This trade-off between advantages and disadvantages may render a two-sided
message a less desirable advertising fannat overall. Only very few studies have strived to
overcome this trade-off.
The objective of this study is to overcome the commonly observed trade-off effect
between advantages and disadvantages. This is done by conceptualising a type of two-sided
message which retains the advantages. and overcomes some of the weaknesses of two-sided
communication. This type' of message is tested against a one-sided message along with the
'classic' type of two-sided message,thus 3 types of messages are included in this study.
Data is gathered in a laboratory experiment (n = 324). Results are largely as
expected. A strong interaction between price and type of message occurs. The new type of
two-sided message clearly outperforms the two other types of messages in a low price
condition. Results in the moderate price level are also largely as expected, with fewer
differences occurring between the three types of advertisements. In the high price condition
however, the one-sided message outperforms both types of two-sided message. Despite this,
