Caught in the framing: How consumer reactivity links typicality and market appeal for creative products

Abstract

While consumers' perceptions of creative products' framing typicality are guided by existing category structures, research on social evaluation emphasizes consumers' active role in shaping and redefining these structures. To tackle consumers being caught in the framing, we propose consumer reactivity as a mediator between framing typicality and market appeal, defined as consumers' extension and modification of categorical guidance in social evaluations. Specifically, we suggest that creative products with less typical framings elicit greater consumer reactivity, which in turn enhances their market appeal. Empirical analyses of a unique dataset of games on Steam using BERT‐based measures, topic modeling, and psycholinguistic analysis (LIWC) lend support to our theoretical arguments. Our work contributes to creative market studies and the category literature. Consumers typically rely on category cues, so products that fit expectations often seem more appealing. However, they also actively engage with products, exploring features that don't fit categorical expectations. We show that consumer reactivity explains this dynamic: creative products with less typical framings generate stronger engagement, which in turn boosts market appeal. Our analyses of a unique Steam game dataset using BERT‐based measures, topic modeling, and psycholinguistic analysis (LIWC) support this pattern. For practitioners, the key insight is to acknowledge the potential of seemingly less‐fit products. By thoughtfully monitoring consumer interests and initiatives and cultivating their engagement, creative producers can enhance the market performance of creative products.