Regulatory Fit and Regulatory Mode Fit in Marketing Research:

A Literature Review from 2015 to 2025

Abstract

This study identifies current research trends and proposes future directions through a systematic review of the marketing literature on regulatory fit theory from 2015 to 2025. Regulatory fit enhances message persuasiveness and engagement by eliciting a sense of feeling right and increasing processing fluency. Motyka et al.’s (2014) meta-analysis confirms the robustness of these effects, thereby catalysing subsequent scholarly interest. However, no comprehensive literature review has been conducted in the marketing domain since this study. Moreover, emerging topics, such as regulatory mode fit, remain unexplored. To fill this gap, we reviewed 48 empirical studies published from 2015 to 2025 across 20 leading marketing journals rated 3* or 4* in the 2024 ABS Journal Ranking. These studies were categorised into six research contexts: advertising, cause-related marketing, retail, sensory marketing, organisational performance, and social influences. Furthermore, this study organised research into new perspectives, such as regulatory mode fit, and suggested three research issues.