Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Management

Does Writing Source Matter? Comparing Human and AI Copywriting Across Apparel Type and Framing Perspective

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Abstract

This study examines how consumption values underlying consumer engagement with fashion product descriptions vary by writing source. Grounded in the Theory of Consumption Values, Essentialism Theory, and Construal Level Theory, the research investigates how writing source (human vs. AI) interacts with framing perspective (second- vs. third-person) and apparel type (aesthetic vs. functional) to shape electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM). Two 2 × 2 between-subjects experiments employed Instagram-style stimuli, manipulating writing source with framing perspective (Study 1) and apparel type (Study 2). Results show that human-generated descriptions with second-person framing enhance social and functional values, increasing e-WOM, whereas AI-generated descriptions with third-person framing enhance functional and epistemic values. Similarly, human-generated aesthetic apparel descriptions increase social value, while AI-generated functional apparel descriptions enhance epistemic value. Overall, copywriting effectiveness depends on contextual alignment between source and message characteristics rather than source alone, offering strategic guidance for fashion brands’ copywriting decisions.

 

 

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Copywriting, Framing perspective, Theory of consumption values (TCV), Essentialism Theory, Construal level theory (CLT)

How to Cite:

Min, Y. & Jin, B. E., (2025) “Does Writing Source Matter? Comparing Human and AI Copywriting Across Apparel Type and Framing Perspective”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.22019