Creative ads are applied widely in new product marketing. The present research explores the impact of creative ads (divergent vs. relevant ads) on purchase intention for really new products and incrementally new products. A series of studies concludes that (1) divergent ads are more effective for promoting incrementally new products, (2) relevant ads are more effective for promoting really new products, (3) self-referencing mediates the joint effect of creative ads and product newness on purchase intention, and (4) there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between self-referencing and purchase intention for new products. Theoretically, the authors argue that a moderate amount of self-referencing is particularly desirable—that is, there is a “Goldilocks region” that produces an optimal level of persuasion. They provide guidance to creative ad managers to help them reach the “Goldilocks region” when advertising new products.
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