How Does the Use of Shockvertising Trigger Moral Emotions? A Focus on the Plastic Issue

Advertising aims to attract attention, evoke emotions, and convey information. However, consumers have a limited ability to remember and for selective retention. This phenomenon has been exacerbated with the advent of the internet. Consequently, the implementation of shocking images by companies has been considered a valid means to attract consumers’ attention. Although the literature has explored consumers’ reactions to shockvertising, few studies have focused on moral emotions. Hence, the research objective of this work is to understand which moral emotions are evoked by shockvertising and what the object of such emotions is. Because of the increased environmental impact of businesses and human activities, this study explores consumers’ reactions and moral emotions evoked by the use of shocking images to communicate issues related to plastic waste. Our findings show that shocking images arouse, for the most part, negative emotions and, in particular, contempt and anger. The use of shocking images can thus attract users’ attention, generate a discussion on the plastic issue, and enhance consumer awareness.