Truths, Half-Truths, and Deception: Perceived Social Responsibility and Intent to Donate for a Nonprofit Using Implicature, Truth, and Duplicity in Print Advertising

Abstract The differences in emotional response to the ad, overall attitude toward the ad, perceived social responsibility of the sponsor, and intent to donate are tested across four types of public service announcement (PSA) print advertisements sponsored by a nonprofit (MADD; Mothers Against Drunk Driving). The four treatments for anti-drunk driving advertisements include employing truth in advertising, implicature, actor portrayal disclosure, and deceptive (withholding information) advertising. We find that the use of real victims in print ad PSAs garners the strongest emotional response, the most positive attitude toward the advertisement, the strongest perceived social responsibility, and the highest proclivity to donate to the nonprofit. Conversely, the use of deceptive advertising is not significantly different from using an actor portrayal disclosure as regards perceived social responsibility and emotional response to the ad. Our findings suggest that the use of real victims in PSAs demonstrates socially responsible behavior by the nonprofit organization.