Service brands and communication effects

It has long been recognized that marketing communications, particularly advertising, have a significant effect on consumers. However, an important influence on the behaviour of service consumers comes from communications that are essentially uncontrolled by the marketer. This study examined the role of marketer-controlled and marketer-uncontrolled communications on consumption-aroused feelings and service brand attitudes. Data were gathered from customers of specific service brands and comparisons were made across two different service types (retail stores and banks). The findings indicated that advertising has a significant effect on consumption-aroused feelings and service brand attitudes, whereas word-of-mouth communications affects brand attitudes only in terms of bank brands and publicity has no effect on consumption-aroused feelings or brand attitude.