Under the Spell of Your Smartphone: How Dependence Evokes a Halo of Trust in Advertising

Abstract

Abstract Source, message, and situational factors all influence consumers’ trust in advertising. Though prior researchers have studied how the message and source impact trust in mobile advertising, this research studies a situational determinant – the platform used to access the ad. Today, as smartphones have become ubiquitous and increasingly serve as the main conduit through which advertising is received, research is needed to examine how dependence on these platforms affects consumers' responses to ads displayed on them. Findings from a large U.S. sample demonstrate that smartphone use frequency positively influences consumers’ trust in advertising through smartphone dependence. The results reveal a halo effect – smartphone dependence evokes a state of trust in the device, which is transferred to the ad. Ultimately, this added trust leads to higher purchase intentions. Implications and future directions are offered.