Influencing Consumer Judgments Using Autobiographical Memories: A Self-Referencing Perspective

The authors investigate the affective nature of autobiographical memories and the conditions and mechanisms leading to transfer of this affect to ad and brand judgments. They find that when ads encourage the retrieval of autobiographical memories there is a higher level of felt affect and reduced processing of product attributes. Furthermore, this generally positive affect is readily transferred to the ad, thus enhancing ad evaluations. However, the extent of transfer of autobiographical affect to the brand depends on forging a link in the ad between the brand and the personal memory, as Study 1 demonstrates. Study 2 shows that when autobiographical memories are encouraged, brand evaluations are no different given strong versus weak product arguments, further evidence that brand evaluations are not based on an analysis of product claims when such memories are evoked. Study 2 also provides evidence for the dominance of affective inputs into brand judgments when both autobiographical affect and product arguments are relatively accessible from memory.