195 195 International Journal of Advertising, 29(2), pp. 195–220 © 2010 Advertising Association Published by Warc, www.warc.com DOI: 10.2501/S0265048710201129 Effects of message framing, vividness congruency and statistical framing on responses to charity advertising Chun-Tuan Chang and Yu-Kang Lee National Sun Yat-sen University Having recognised the growing importance of charitable donation and sophisticated advertising techniques in charity advertising, this study examines message framing, viv- idness congruency and statistical framing in promoting charitable donations. A between- subjects experiment is conducted to test proposed hypotheses in the context of a child poverty-orientated charity. The overall results indicate that vivid presentation strength- ens framing effects on advertising persuasion when it is congruent with the framed mes- sage. These effects are especially salient when both are presented negatively. Statistics presented in a format where a small number is employed are found to facilitate effects of the negatively framed message with a negative case story. Alternatively, statistics pre- sented with a large number increase the advertising influences of the positively framed message with a positive case story. Based on the findings, managerial implications for fundraising and possibilities for future research are discussed. Introduction In the past, welfare services were mostly delivered by governmental agen- cies, and nonprofit sectors were only supplemental. However, due to fiscal constraints many countries have undergone welfare retrenchment from the 1980s and onwards (Clayton & Pontusson 1998; Starke 2006) which greatly reduced the weight of government initiatives. Consequently, the welfare services provided by nonprofit organisations (NPOs) are of growing importance. Globally, giving from individuals, which continued to account for an overwhelming majority of all contributions (74.8%), increased by