Which is more shocking: investigation of improper and morally offensive communication

ENThe purpose of this study is to analyse howshocking marketing communication is perceived by consumers and how it influences their intention to spread positive and negative word-of-mouth (WOM). Theoretical analysis revealed that in order for consumers to spread WOM they need to form an attitude towards the communication and the attitude is influenced by perceived level of shock and norm violation. Data collected from 322 respondents in Lithuania and Azerbaijan shows that chosen set of factors has a significant impact towards WOM. Moreover, two different appeals were chosen for research in order to analyse the impact of communication content to consumer’s perception: moral offensiveness and impropriety. Research reveals that morally offensive communication is more effective in the case of WOM than communication containing impropriety components. Nevertheless, results show that it is more likely that negative WOM would be shared instead of positive WOM. Keywords: schocking advertising; wom; communication.