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on Marketing |
| By: | Daniel Kaimann (Paderborn University); Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru (Paderborn University) |
| Abstract: | Prior studies have shown that brand names representing high femininity will receive higher ratings and more positive reviews than those associated with high masculinity. The research is based on the idea that consumers may perceive feminine brand names as more desirable, with a positive bias toward them, leading to higher ratings and additional positive reviews. Nevertheless, the effect of gendered language on critics of experience goods has received relatively little research. This study examines how specifically masculine or feminine brand names classify experience goods and impacts tastings and professional evaluations. We obtained data on 18, 609 wines and their ratings from the Wine Enthusiast Magazine between 1997 and 2016, yielding a sample of 31, 058 observations to objectively evaluate the impact of brand gender on quality ratings measured by experts' critics. Moreover, we suppose that the gender of the taster needs to be considered to understand what affects tastings and ratings, as women and men might be attracted differently to masculine or feminine names. This study shows that masculine brand names receive higher evaluations than feminine ones. In addition, we discover that women tend to rank products with higher gender name scores more highly than men. Finally, this study provides evidence that people's unconscious perceptions and quality assessments of products can be significantly impacted by (brand) gender bias. |
| Keywords: | Brand Names, Brand Gender, Quality Ratings, Gendered Language, Quasi-Experiment |
| JEL: | M31 C33 J16 L66 Q13 |
| Date: | 2023–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pdn:dispap:107&r=mkt |
| By: | Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru (Paderborn University) |
| Abstract: | Particularly in the wine industry, information asymmetry between consumers and wine producers regarding product characteristics leads prospects to consider available information, such as market prices, professional reviews, and ratings, as reliable indicators for product quality and purchase decisions. Nevertheless, few studies reflect wine reviews' textual dimension and content. This study explores the impact of reviews and defined language inventory like articles, verbs, or adjectives and their effects on wine prices and ratings. Using 83, 067 reviews from the professional wine critics magazine "The Wine Enthusiast, " a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) estimation, quantile regression (plots), and review text analysis utilizing the content analysis tool LIWC-22 was conducted to examine the simultaneous impact of linguistic categories on wine prices and ratings. The results indicate that the tasting note's increased word count and positive sentiment are significantly positively associated with a higher wine rating. Further, specific categories have a statistically significant positive impact on ratings but a negligible effect on wine prices. Consequently, a subsequent instrumental variables estimation is conducted to control for endogeneity and test for the effect of reviews on wine prices, revealing a significant positive influence. These findings could have practical strategic implications for wine market communication, marketing, and purchasing decisions, as linguistic indicators in reviews could be associated with wine quality by vintners and prospects. |
| Keywords: | : Professional Reviews, Information Asymmetry, Text Analysis, Prices and Ratings, Quantile regression, Seemingly Unrelated Regression, Instrumental Variables Estimation |
| JEL: | C31 L66 M30 O13 Q13 |
| Date: | 2023–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pdn:dispap:105&r=mkt |