Anticipated negative emotions and compassion as mediators of donation effectiveness in shocking charity advertising

Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework and negative-state relief theory, this research explores how brand coolness and shocking charity advertising function as drivers of compassionate responses. Compassion is further examined as a precursor to anticipated negative emotions, forming a sequential emotional pathway that enhances expected donation effectiveness (EDE). A between-subjects experimental design (n = 390, via Prolific) provides empirical evidence that compassion is a mediating emotional response that increases for both human and nonhuman donation recipients. Findings also reveal that brand coolness, such as shocking advertising, positively influences compassion, highlighting the impact of niche cool brands in social marketing. Thus, compassion was found to evoke negative emotions that subsequently increase EDE, particularly in humanitarian aid contexts. Multi-group analysis shows that anticipating negative emotions reduces EDE in shocking animal welfare campaigns, suggesting that feelings of sadness, distress, and shock may diminish willingness to help. These insights contribute to the literature on social marketing and offer practical implications for nonprofit branding and communication strategies.