Perceived ethics and emotional appeals: consumer responses to manipulative advertising on Chinese social media

This study examines Chinese consumers’ responses to manipulative digital advertising by integrating survey data and a controlled experiment. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data and a between-subjects experiment (N = 180), with participants randomly assigned to one of four advertising conditions (control, fear, scarcity, or social proof). The results showed that although 96.7% of respondents acknowledged the influence of digital advertising on their purchasing decisions, manipulative strategies significantly increased purchase intention compared to neutral advertising. Fear and scarcity appeals significantly reduced perceived ethicality and trust, whereas social proof produced weaker reputational costs. The study identifies a persuasion paradox: manipulative tactics undermine trust and ethical perceptions while maintaining strong direct effects on purchase intention.