The Effect of Ad Image's Sentiment Scores and Mobile Device Attributes on Mobile Ad Response Behavior

Using a state-of-the-art image processing algorithm applied to mobile ad creative and a unique dataset on technology features for mobile platforms, we examine how visual sentiment of mobile ad images, mobile device attributes that aid visual communication, and their interactions influence consumers’ mobile ad responses. Our results show that an increase in mobile ads’
valence
and
arousal
levels by one-unit enhances the instantaneous probability of consumers’ mobile ad response by 2.4% and 1.6%, respectively. An increase in mobile devices’
display size
and
pixel density
by 1 in and 1%, respectively, decreases the probability of mobile ad response by 42.6% and 0.7%. Interestingly,
display size
positively moderates the effect of
arousal
, while
pixel density
positively moderates the effect of
valence
on consumers’ mobile ad responses. This study contributes to the IS and marketing literature by examining the role of ad images’ visual sentiment scores such as
valence
and
arousal
, device-specific attributes on mobile display, such as
screen display size
and
pixel density
, and their interaction effects on consumers’ mobile ad response behaviors. Importantly, the application of computationally efficient image sentiment processing sheds new light on the extant mobile advertising and marketing literature both from a methodological and findings perspective.