The seven deadly sins as a motivational values in contemporary advertising communication

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the functioning of the seven deadly sins as a motivational basis for consumerism in the digital age. In a world where consumption has reached a new level, facilitated by digitalization and, consequently, new ways of communicating with target audiences, the motives that drive people to purchase goods and services in unlimited quantities are of particular interest for research. The appeal to the ethical concept of the seven deadly sins is an attempt to identify the main motives that drive modern consumers. This article consists of three parts. The first part examines the theoretical aspect of the issue and, in particular, the possibility of considering the concept of the seven deadly sins as a system of advertising values. The second part compares advertising communication models (the most well-known one being AIDA) with the stages of sin development and highlights the similarities. Finally, the third part provides specific examples of all seven sins (pride, gluttony, lust, anger, envy, laziness, and greed) and their use as motivational values in advertising communication. As a result, the author concludes that it is very common for potential consumers to be approached using a combination of several sins (pride and lust, pride and envy, etc.). The development of social media and the increasing global level of digitalization have made such advertising and marketing messages even more accessible.