The role of rhetoric in crowdfunding success: effects of logos, ethos, pathos and kairos appeals

• Main Author: Yew, David
• Other Authors: Thomas Rockstuhl
• Format: Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Business and Management; Rhetorical appeals; Rhetoric; Crowdfunding; Logos; Ethos; Pathos; Kairos
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/181361
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This thesis explores the effects of crowdfunding video pitches on funding success. There are three objectives, each of which is aligned with the three essays in this thesis. The first essay clarifies the intellectual structure and research fronts in crowdfunding research through a scientometric review. The second essay identifies the intellectual foundations and constructs related to video pitches in crowdfunding through a targeted review integrating scientometric and content analysis approaches. The third essay tests the effects of rhetorical appeals in crowdfunding pitches on backer decisions to support crowdfunding campaigns. Essay 1 highlights that prior research has studied a wide range of antecedents, such as project, founder and product characteristics, but has put less emphasis on a key contact with the audience – the video pitch. Essay 2 finds that, in addition to basic video production qualities, the focus of research has been on the content of these video pitches. However, the rhetorical aspects of communication have not received much attention in the literature. Essay 3 shows that rhetorical appeals in crowdfunding video pitches complement established antecedents in the prediction of crowdfunding success. The essays build on rhetorical appeals theory and complement the signaling lens that has been mainly adopted in the crowdfunding field. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.