Authenticity Perceptions of Informational and Transformational Advertising: Decoding the Role of Construal Level Mindset

ABSTRACT Femvertising, a progressive advertising approach, combines product promotion with empowering messages for women. Recent trends, especially in feminine hygiene, have shifted towards such empowering narratives, moving away from traditional stigmatized portrayals of women. This research investigates how femvertising impacts consumer perceptions in feminine hygiene advertising. Focusing on transformational versus informational advertising, we examine femvertising's effects on purchase behavior together with the role of perceived authenticity, and the impact of consumers’ construal level mindset. The findings from four experimental studies reveal that transformational messages significantly boost purchase behavior more than informational ones. Key to this effect is the alignment of message framing with the consumer's construal level and the mediating role of perceived authenticity. These results provide critical insights for brands using femvertising strategies, emphasizing the importance of authentic, resonant messages aligned with the target audience's mindset.