Abstract
Highly attractive models are intended to impact psychologically on message receivers and improve awareness, expectations, attitudes, beliefs, and advertising effectiveness; however, benefits accrue in only particular situations. This study examines how advertising triggers affect when comparison motive is paired with a particular model beauty type. Qualitative work preceded empirical study, which involved use of three types of model beauty (classic, sexual, and cute), two comparison motives (self-evaluation headline and self-improvement headline), and two product contexts (problem-solving and enhancement). Female university students (N = 1,170) were surveyed with findings indicating that viewers do react differently depending on the beauty type, with evidence of an interaction between beauty type and comparison motive.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.