Affect and attitude transfer under conditions of congruity: An investigation of art gallery alliances

This research examines alliances between non-profit organizations and corporations, powerful vehicles to promote positive change in society and raise opinions about participating brands. Previous studies identify partner-to-partner congruity as an important driver to alliance success. This research provides empirical support for this notion, extending theory by separating perceived congruity into elements of relevancy and expectancy. The "fit" between an existing non-profit and fictitious corporate partners is manipulated, and emotional, attitudinal and behaviour intentional responses are investigated. The results of the experiment demonstrate that pre-existing affect and attitudes transfer between partners when alliances are formed, influencing participants' said likelihood of supporting allies in the future. Thus, this research provides valuable insight to theorists and marketing managers about how to achieve congruity.