Sound symbolism effect of a brand’s post-transgression apology on consumer forgiveness

Abstract

This dissertation investigates what words should be used in a brand apology to increase consumer forgiveness in case of brand transgression. Based on sound symbolism literature, which argues that sounds can convey meanings, I examined the sound symbolic effect of words used in a brand apology on increasing consumer forgiveness. I also examine the mediating role of warmth and competence on consumer forgiveness. It was proposed that voiceless sound apology would increase forgiveness more than the voiced sound apology through warmth and competence perceptions toward the brand. It was also proposed that voiceless fricative sound apology would increase forgiveness more than the voiceless plosive sound apology through warmth and competence perceptions toward the brand. Across three pretests, I generated words that differ in sound symbolism but are the same in meaning to manipulate the sound symbolism in apology. However, contrary to my predictions, in Study 1, by using a real transgression situation, I found that individuals who received an apology with the voiced sounds showed more forgiveness by signing up for the make-up session than those who received an apology with the voiceless sounds. In Study 2, by using a brand transgression scenario, I also found that individuals who received an apology with the voiced sounds showed more forgiveness than those who received the voiceless sounds.