Construal level theory in advertising research : A systematic review and directions for future research

Abstract

Construal level theory, originally rooted in psychology to study human behaviour, is a popular and influential theory in social-cognition research. Within the marketing domain, recent applications of the theory have mostly focused on explaining the effectiveness of advertising-based stimuli. This systematic literature review synthesises studies that apply construal level theory in advertising research. Starting from 1,553 articles in quality journals, a final list of 111 articles was identified as relevant to this review. A thematic analysis revealed three main themes: underlying theoretical mechanisms, ad appeals, and audience attributes. Key theoretical and practical implications of our review are discussed, and future research avenues are offered to extend and improve research in this important area.