The Relative Effectiveness of Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Messages in Charity Advertising: Meta-Analytic Evidence and Implications

Charity advertising has gained increasing attention from scholars and practitioners in various fields. It provides a robust venue for exploring gain versus loss framing effects. Despite the accumulation of substantial research in this area, no meta-analysis has been undertaken. This project seeks to fill this gap. A meta-analysis of 27 studies (k = 40, N = 9,298) finds that gain-framed and loss-framed appeals do not differ significantly on persuasiveness in charity advertising. The random-effects model reveals a mean r of .002 (95% CI -.061–.064, p = .96) after correcting for sampling and measurement errors. A re-analysis (k = 38) excluding two outliers yielded a mean r of .03 (95% CI -.022–.073, p = .29). Among published studies (k = 32), there was tentative indication pointing to the slight advantage of gain-framed appeals. The framing effect does not differ by which type of donation the message calls for (monetary vs. organ), nor is it affected by moderators such as study setting and population. The little difference finding echoes previous conceptual and empirical work and calls for more work identifying moderating factors and boundary conditions on framing research. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.