Does messaging matter? Investigating the influence of media headlines on perceptions and attitudes of the in-group and out-group

Messaging and media stories can influence several aspects of consumer perceptions and behaviors. We experimentally investigated how exposure to various mediated messages and headlines influenced perceptions of favorite and rival brands. Using the sport setting, fans were exposed to either a positive, neutral, or negative story regarding an upcoming contest between their favorite team and rival team. Results showed that people exposed to a story about a fight between rival supporters (i.e., negative story) reported stronger negative perceptions toward the rival team and also negative attitudes toward the favorite team than people exposed to a story about a joint-blood drive (i.e., positive story). Discussion focuses on what sport and non-sport practitioners can learn from the findings and how they can work to decrease the effects of negative publicity.