Title: Generation Z charitable contributions: investigating the impacts of guilt, egoistic and statistical evidence ad appeals on trust and donation intentions

Authors: Adel A. Al-Wugayan

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business Administration, Kuwait University, Sabah Al-Salem Campus Shidadeyah, Kuwait

Abstract: Contributions from Gen Z are essential for non-profit organisations. However, marketers are facing challenges in accessing this cohort. Gen Z, as digital natives, are less responsive to internet advertising because they have shorter attention span, more tendency to skip ads, and stronger advertisement scepticism. This study analyses the effectiveness of guilt, egoism, and statistical evidence as common message appeals in online fundraising. It also explores how Gen Z's need for cognition and trust in ad information impact post-ad emotion, affective and cognitive attitudes, and donation intentions. A sample of 500 Kuwaiti Gen Z participants were shown three random web ads in a within-subject experimental design and data were analyzed using ANOVA, factor analysis, and structural equation modelling followed by mediation analysis. Results showed varying levels of message compliance for the three ads. Donation intentions were influenced by ad emotional appeal, cognitive processes, and trust. Mediation analysis showed that the effects of emotion were either fully or partially mediated by affective attitude, while the need for cognition exerted negative effects on donation intentions in cognitive appeals (egoistic and statistical evidence ad appeals).

Keywords: non-profit marketing; charitable solicitation; message appeal; Gen Z cohort; need-for-cognition; NFC; trust.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2026.152930

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2026 Vol.24 No.3, pp.341 - 371

Received: 23 Apr 2023
Accepted: 23 Oct 2023
Published online: 15 Apr 2026 *

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