Giving a Conspicuously Branded Gift: The Role of Guilt

Scant research has explored how the emotions of gift-givers influence their gift selection, particularly negative emotions. Addressing this gap, this research examines how guilt impacts gift-giving, capitalizing on the conceptual link between guilt, power, and size. Through four experiments, we demonstrate that, compared with gift-givers in a control condition, guilty gift-givers are more likely to choose conspicuously branded gifts—items with highly noticeable, large brand logos. We observe this effect using different scenarios and the autobiographical recall procedure to elicit guilt, as well as a variety of operationalizations of brand conspicuousness. We find that the sense of power and power restoration provided by the gift account for the results. Moreover, the preference for a conspicuously branded gift diminishes when guilty gift-givers engage in reparative actions to alleviate their guilt prior to gift-giving. This research contributes to the literature on guilt, power, and conspicuous consumption by revealing a novel consequence of guilt on consumer choice in gift-giving contexts and expanding our understanding of conspicuous brand usage. The findings have practical implications for marketers, particularly in using guilt appeals and promoting conspicuously branded gifts. Finally, we suggest future research directions related to positive emotions and other outcomes of interest in gift-giving.