Receiver Prejudice and Model Ethnicity: Impact on Advertising Effectiveness

Abstract

For the most part, use of Asian models does not cause prejudiced respondents to evaluate a product or advertisement more negatively than when white models are used, according to this experiment. The study used Bogardus' social distance scale, among other measures, and sought to test how well use of Asian versus white models affected advertisement recall and credibility, attitudes toward the model, and purchase intentions. There was a very small effect on those moderately (as versus very) prejudiced on some measures when Asian models were used, but by and large there was little effect on respondents as a whole. The study concludes that advertisers need not fear negative reactions from use of non-Caucasian models.