Abstract

This research examines the potential interaction effect of information order and gender on attitude toward final product. More precisely, when consumers evaluate a female-targeted product, men tend to have a more favorable attitude toward the final product when the raw material is presented first than when the final product is presented first. On the other hand, women generally do not respond differently to different information order because the product is familiar to them. Processing fluency has been suggested as the underlying mechanism by which this process occurs. We tested the proposed interaction effect in two laboratory studies. In study 1, in which participants evaluate a soap made from olive oil, we investigated the interaction effect between information order and gender on product attitude. Study 2 replicates the information order and gender interaction effect using a different product stimulus (i.e., almond milk). The results show that the observed effect is mediated by an increase in processing fluency, which was also verified. The results provided an understanding of how consumers respond to time-laden information order-related gendered products and highlight implications for marketers seeking to increase the effectiveness of marketing communication.