Paralanguage and the charismatic spokesperson: The impact of vocal amplitude on charisma, auditory looming, and customer engagement

Abstract

What vocal qualities draw customers in and drive them to engage with charismatic spokespeople and the brands/causes they represent? Building on theory in leadership, evolutionary psychology, and sensory marketing, we examine how the paralinguistic quality of vocal amplitude can impact customer engagement intentions as well as objectively measured engagement behavior. Across four experiments set in three marketing contexts, results indicate that when the spokesperson uses a falling vocal amplitude, customer engagement is greater due to perceptions of the spokesperson’s charisma. However, when the spokesperson speaks with a higher vocal pitch, the positive effects of falling amplitude are attenuated. Additionally, when the spokesperson uses a rising vocal amplitude, this induces perceptions of auditory looming, which results in decreased customer engagement. Given the following that charismatic spokespeople can generate, it is imperative that marketers gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively utilize paralinguistic qualities to increase their positive impact with customers.