Why Is the Placebo Effect Different in Marketing? A Study on Moderating Persuasion by Authority

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to identify mental triggers that explain the placebo effect process in marketing studies. To accomplish this, we conducted two experimental studies in which 62 university students (Study 1) and 121 volunteers from a teaching hospital (Study 2) participated. These studies evaluated different cosmetic products, in which we manipulated the perceived luxury of the packaging. Joint analysis of the results indicates that: a) the placebo effect affects both cognitive assessments and consumer behavioral responses; b) unlike other scientific fields, we did not verify the double mediation of expectation and motivation in the relationship between stimuli and response variables, and; c) consumer expectation was significant only in explaining the response variable when moderated at high levels by the persuasion of authority. We conclude our paper with our finding’s theoretical and managerial implications.