INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

A SUMMARY OF JOURNAL REPORT

CoNsumcn HcsoNscs To Scx
AcAL AovcnTisiNc"
Prepared By:
AzizuI Ridhuan Bin Wahid(2009340859)
Checked By:
En.ShamshuI Anaz Bin Kassim
PURPOSE
1he purpose of Lhls sLudy Lo know Lhe consumers' responses Lo sex appeal adverLlslng ln
dlfferenL culLures 1he purpose of Lhls paper ls Lo examlne Lhe effecL of sex appeal on ad and
brand evaluaLlon among AusLrallan Chlnese and uS consumers
INTRODUCTION
As a ma[or Lechnlque ln adverLlslng sex appeal has been wldely used ln malnsLream
consumer adverLlslng ln mosL counLrles Powever llLLle ls known abouL consumers' reacLlons Lo
sex appeal adverLlslng Lo dlfferenL culLures WlLh Lhe lncreaslng degree of globallsaLlon brands
are spannlng across borders As a ma[or adverLlslng Lechnlque sex appeal has ofLen feaLured ln
a brand's lnLernaLlonal adverLlslng campalgn Powever several key quesLlons regardlng Lhe use
of sex appeal ln lnLernaLlonal adverLlslng remaln unclear lor example can sex appeal be
adopLed ln dlfferenL culLures? uoes sex appeal affecL dlfferenL Lypes of adverLlslng measures
(eg brand or ad aLLlLude) Lo Lhe same degree ln dlfferenL culLures? 1o answer Lhese quesLlons
lL ls of greaL necesslLy and slgnlflcance Lo compare consumer responses Lo sex appeal
adverLlslng ln a crossculLural conLexL
RESEARCH AND FINDING
n LoLal 481 parLlclpanLs Look parL ln Lhls sLudy Among Lhem 137 (73 male and 84 female)
were sLudenLs aL a ma[or sLaLe unlverslLy ln SouLh Chlna 117 (38 males and 79 females) were
sLudenLs aL a ma[or sLaLe unlverslLy ln WesLern AusLralla and 207 (77 male and 130 females)
were sLudenLs aL a ma[or sLaLe unlverslLy ln Lhe MldwesL of Lhe uSA All sub[ecLs parLlclpaLlng ln
Lhls sLudy were wlLhln Lhe age group of 1824 year olds uslng sLudenL parLlclpanLs was
approprlaLe for Lhls sLudy llrsL sLudenL samples are consldered more homogenous Lhan non
sLudenL samples so uslng a sLudenL sample for a crossculLural sLudy may acLually lmprove Lhe
lnLernal valldlLy of Lhe resulLs Second sex appeal ls one of Lhe ma[or adverLlslng Lechnlques
used Lo LargeL young consumers College sLudenLs represenL Lhe populaLlon LhaL Lhls sLudy
purporLs Lo represenL llnally college sLudenLs usually among Lhe mosL recepLlve of new ldeas
ln any naLlon are already an lmporLanL markeL ln Lhese Lhree counLrles under sLudy noL Lo
menLlon Lhelr growlng poLenLlal for blgger buylng power upon Lhelr graduaLlon
So Lhelr aLLlLudes Loward sex appeal adverLlslng should have slgnlflcanL lmpllcaLlons
for adverLlsers especlally lnLernaLlonal adverLlsersAmong Lhe four ads Lhe flrsL ad (lL)
conLalned a female model wearlng a 1shlrLfeaLurlng a low level of sex appeal Lhe
second ad (lP) conLalned Lhe same female model buL wearlng a bra Lop feaLurlng a
hlgh level of sex appeal Lhe Lhlrd ad (ML) conLalned a male model wearlng a 1shlrL
feaLurlng a low level of sex appeal Lhe lasL ad (MP) conLalned Lhe same male model
buL wearlng a vesL feaLurlng a hlgh level of sex appeal1he background of each ad was
very slmllar 1he male and female models were of a slmllar age (under 23) and boLh
looked physlcally aLLracLlvereLesLs ln AusLralla Chlna and Lhe uSA conflrmed LhaL
when everyLhlng else ln Lhe ad remalned Lhe same wlLh Lhe lncreaslng level of nudlLy
Lhe degree of sex appeal also lncreased All sub[ecLs ln Lhe preLesL ln Lhe Lhree
counLrles belleved LhaL Lhe second ad (lP) had a hlgher level of sex appeal Lhan Lhe
flrsL ad (lL) whlle Lhe fourLh ad (MP) had a hlgher level of sex appeal Lhan Lhe Lhlrd ad
(ML) All of Lhe four ads were ln accordance wlLh Lhe sLandards sLlpulaLed by Lhe
currenL adverLlslng laws and regulaLlons ln Chlna AusLralla and Lhe uSA no sub[ecL ln
Lhe flnal LesLs reporLed LhaL Lhe ads were offenslve ln any way
Dependent Measures
1hree dependenL measures aLLlLudes Lowards Lhe ad Lhe brand and buylng lnLenLlon were
adopLed for LesLlng Lhe effecLlveness of sex appeal ads ln Lhls sLudy 1hese Lhree measures were
adopLed by mosL crossculLural adverLlslng sLudles 8esldes genderwe also lncluded ln Lhls
sLudy as a covarlaLe has ofLen been ldenLlfled as a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe ln consumers' ad
processlng 8ased on Lhe llLeraLure revlew our hypoLheses were speclfled as
P1 When exposed Lo Lhe four dlfferenL sex appeal ads Chlnese AusLrallan and uS consumers
wlll have slgnlflcanLly dlfferenL (a) aLad (b) aLb and (c) buylng lnLenLlon
P2 Cender wlll be a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe ln responses Lo Lhe four dlfferenL ads regardlng (a)
aLad (b) aLb and (c) buylng lnLenLlon
P3 wlll be a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe ln responses Lo Lhe four dlfferenL ads regardlng (a) aLad
(b) aLb and (c) buylng lnLenLlon
ANALYSIS
l) ALLlLude 1owards AdverLlsemenL
lour separaLe analysls of covarlance (AnCCvA) LesLs were conducLed Lo flnd ouL wheLher
counLry was a maln effecL on Lhe measuremenL of adverLlsemenL as well as wheLher gender and
were slgnlflcanL covarlaLes ln Lhls measuremenL 1he analyses found LhaL Lhe AusLrallan
Chlnese and uS samples had slgnlflcanLly dlfferenL aLLlLudes Lowards all of Lhe four ads excepL
ad lP 1herefore P1a was largely supporLed uesplLe Lhe percepLlon LhaL Chlnese sub[ecLs
mlghL reacL leasL favourably Lowards Lhe four sex appeal ads Chlnese sub[ecLs had Lhe mosL
favourable aLLlLudes Lowards all of Lhe ads followed by Lhe uS and AusLrallan samples Cender
however was noL found Lo be a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe for any of Lhe ads excepL for ad lP Lhus P2a
was noL supporLed rrespecLlve of Lhe counLry female consumers seemed Lo have slgnlflcanLly
less favourable aLLlLudes Lowards ad lP as compared Lo male consumers was a slgnlflcanL
covarlaLe for all of Lhe four ads excepL ad MP Lhus P3a was largely supporLed rrespecLlve of
Lhe counLry Lhe hlgher Lhe Lhe beLLer aLLlLude Lhe consumer had Lowards Lhe ad1o explore
Lhe wlLhlngroup dlfferences Lowards each sex appeal ad a serles of analysls of varlance
(AnCvA) LesLs were conducLed 8esulLs on Lhe Chlnese sample showed LhaL Chlnese consumers
had slgnlflcanLly dlfferenL aLLlLudes Lowards Lhe four ads 1helr aLLlLudes Lowards ad MP were
slgnlflcanLly lower Lhan Lhelr aLLlLudes Lowards Lhe oLher Lhree ads Slmllar resulLs were
obLalned from Lhe uS sample 1he uS sample's aLLlLudes Lowards ad MP were slgnlflcanLly lower
Lhan Lhelr aLLlLudes Lowards Lhe oLher Lhree ads no slgnlflcanL dlfferences were deLecLed
among Lhe AusLrallan sample regardlng Lhelr aLLlLudes Lowards Lhe four ads
ll) ALLlLude 1owards 8rand
Slmllar AnCCvA LesLs were conducLed Lo flnd ouL wheLher counLry was a maln effecL on Lhe
measuremenL of brand as well as wheLher gender and were slgnlflcanL covarlaLes ln Lhls
measuremenL 1he analyses found LhaL Lhe AusLrallan Chlnese and uS samples had slgnlflcanLly
dlfferenL aLLlLudes Lowards all of Lhe four ads 1herefore P1b was fully supporLed Chlnese
sub[ecLs had Lhe mosL favourable aLLlLudes Lowards all Lhe adverLlsed brands followed by Lhe
uS and AusLrallan samples Cender agaln was noL found Lo be a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe for any of
Lhe ads excepL for ad lP Lhus P2b was noL supporLed rrespecLlve of Lhe counLry female
consumers seemed Lo have slgnlflcanLly less favourable aLLlLudes Lowards ad lP as compared Lo
male consumers agaln was a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe for all of Lhe four ads excepL ad MP Lhus
P3b was largely supporLed rrespecLlve of Lhe counLry Lhe hlgher Lhe Lhe beLLer aLLlLude Lhe
consumer had Lowards Lhe adverLlsed brand Slmllar (AnCvA) LesLs were conducLed Lo explore
Lhe wlLhlngroup dlfferences Lowards Lhe adverLlsed brand 8esulLs on Lhe Chlnese sample
showed LhaL Chlnese consumers had slgnlflcanLly dlfferenL aLLlLudes Lowards Lhe adverLlsed
brand when exposed Lo dlfferenL ads
lll) 8uylng nLenLlon
AnCCvA LesLs were conducLed Lo examlne Lhe maln effecL of counLry on consumers' buylng
lnLenLlons Lowards Lhe adverLlsed brand ConLrary Lo adverLlsemenL and brand no slgnlflcanL
dlfferences had been found among Lhese Lhree counLrles regardlng each ad 1herefore P1c was
noL supporLed 8esulLs showed LhaL Lhe uS sample had sllghLly hlgher buylng lnLenLlons
regardlng each ad Lhan Lhe oLher Lwo samples buL Lhe dlfferences were noL slgnlflcanL Cender
was noL a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe on buylng lnLenLlon excepL for ad lP Lhus P2c was noL
supporLed Agaln was a slgnlflcanL effecL on all Lhe four ads Lhus P3c was fully supporLed
llnally AnCvA LesLs were conducLed Lo explore Lhe wlLhlngroup dlfferences on buylng
lnLenLlons 1he resulLs showed LhaL Lhe AusLrallan and Chlnese samples had no slgnlflcanLly
dlfferenL buylng lnLenLlons when exposed Lo dlfferenL ads 1he uS sample however had
slgnlflcanLly lower buylng lnLenLlons when Lhey were exposed Lo ad MP
CONCLUSIONS
%s study found tat country ad a snfcant effect on consumers' atttudes
towards te ad and te brand reardn nearly all of te four types of sex appeal ads.
%s result supports te arument tat n nternatonal advertsn localsaton or
standardsaton sould be carefully consdered . However no snfcant dfferences
were detected reardn buyn ntentons amon tese tree countres. %s may mply
tat advertsement and brand are often correlated but t s questonable weter
advertsement or brand can predct buyn ntentons . Despte te eneral assumpton
tat Cnese consumers may react less favourably to sex appeal advertsn tan ter
Australan or US counterparts ts study found tat Cnese consumers reacted as
favourably as US consumers reardn most of te sex appeal ads. %s fndn
callenes te results of some pror studes tat consumers n eastern and western
cultures would respond dfferently and n a snfcant way to te same advertsement
due to cultural dfferences . %e smlarty between te Cnese and US samples may
mply tat Cnese yout today s becomn more and more "pro-Western n
partcular "pro-US culturally . %erefore ter responses to sex appeal ads may be
smlar to f not more favourable tan tose of ter counterparts n te US. As Cna
Daly a natonal Enls-lanuae newspaper n Cna reported "Cnese yout seem
to ave uncondtonal acceptance of Western culture ncludn sex lberaton. %s
suests tat nternatonal advertsers may be able to adopt sex appeal ads ornally
developed based on western cultures to a lare deree n Cna f ter taret market
conssts manly of youn Cnese consumers
1hls sLudy found LhaL uS consumers had slgnlflcanLly dlfferenL aLLlLudes Lowards dlfferenL
sex appeal ads 1hls flndlng ls conslsLenL wlLh sLudy LhaL Lhe degree of sex appeal affecLs uS
consumers' responses Lo sex appeal ads n conLrasL Lhe AusLrallan sample dld noL show any
slgnlflcanL dlfference Lowards dlfferenL sex appeal ads Powever Lhls lnconslsLency may be
caused by Lhe ad sLlmull used ln Lhe Lwo sLudles Lhls sLudy used elLher a male or female model
ln each ad whlle sLudy used boLh male and female models ln each ad noneLheless Lhe
dlfferences beLween Lhe AusLrallan and uS samples were conslsLenL whlch clalm LhaL even
among slmllar culLures consumers' reacLlons Lo sex appeal adverLlslng could be dlfferenL 1he
slmllarlLles beLween Chlnese and uS consumers LogeLher wlLh Lhe dlfferences beLween
AusLrallan and uS consumers lmply LhaL culLural dlmenslons based on naLlonal values cannoL
always serve as a measuremenL Lo predlcL adverLlslng response ln a crossculLural conLexL
was a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe rrespecLlve of counLry Lhe hlgher Lhe Lhe beLLer Lhe
aLLlLude Lowards Lhe ad Lhe adverLlsed brand and buylng lnLenLlon 1hls suggesLs LhaL lf sex
appeal ls used for adverLlslng a producL Lhe effecL of sex appeal on a consumer who ls hlghly
lnvolved wlLh Lhls producL may noL be as greaL as Lhe effecL of LhaL on a consumer who ls noL
hlghly lnvolved 1hls also conflrms LhaL has a slgnlflcanL effecL on evaluaLlon of sex appeal
adverLlslng
LIMITATION
1hls sLudy found LhaL gender was noL a slgnlflcanL covarlaLe ln all Lhe analyses excepL when
Lhe sample was exposed Lo Lhe hlghlevel sex appeal feaLured by Lhe female model L showed
LhaL lrrespecLlve of counLry female sub[ecLs always had a less favourable aLLlLude Lhan Lhelr
male counLerparLs Lowards Lhe hlghlevel sex appeal ad feaLurlng Lhe female model 1hls
flndlng conflrms LhaL men and women are aLLracLed Lo Lhe opposlLe gender ln response Lo sex
appeal 1herefore adverLlsers should pay aLLenLlon Lo Lhe gender of Lhe LargeL audlence when
deslgnlng a sex appeal ad 1hls sLudy has a number of llmlLaLlons
llrsL lL used a convenlence sample whlch may noL represenL Lhe enLlre populaLlon lor
example research noLed LhaL young people are usually more LoleranL Lo sex appeal adverLlslng
Lhan older generaLlons ln Chlna A slmllar slLuaLlon may exlsL ln AusLralla and Lhe uSA 1hus
fuLure sLudles should employ a more represenLaLlve sample Lo obLaln a more Lhorough plcLure
of Lhe crossculLural dlfferences ln consumers' responses Lo sex appeal adverLlslng
1he second llmlLaLlon comes from Lhe producL AlLhough lL ls dlfflculL Lo dlfferenLlaLe whaL
producLs are sulLable for uslng sex appeal and whaL are noL bread may have less sexual
relevance as compared Lo oLher producLs such as perfume or llngerle 1herefore ln fuLure
sLudles producLs wlLh sLronger sexual relevance or genderpreferred (raLher Lhan genderfree)
producLs should be consldered
1hlrd alLhough noL supporLed by any emplrlcal daLa Lhe use of sex appeal may be more
common ln AusLralla and Lhe uSA where sex appeal may be used for almosL every producL
caLegory Powever ln Chlna alLhough sex appeal ls lncreaslngly adopLed lLs coverage may be
less exLenslve Lhan ln AusLralla and Lhe uSA Chlnese consumers may see more sex appeal ads
for producLs llke shampoo Lhan producLs llke bread 1herefore Lhere may be a novelLy effecL
among Lhe Chlnese consumers when Lhey were exposed Lo ads for bread Lhls Lype of novelLy
effecL should be less ln Lhe case of AusLrallan and uS consumers
lourLh Lhls sLudy dld noL conLrol for Lhe eLhnlclLy of Lhe sample Some sLudles suggesLed
LhaL Lhere mlghL be lnLeracLlons beLween Lhe eLhnlclLy of Lhe model ln Lhe ads and LhaL of Lhe
audlence 1hls lnLeracLlon may exlsL among Lhe AusLrallan and uS samples 1hls sLudy used prlnL
adverLlslng as a medlum Lo examlne Lhe crossculLural dlfferences on sex appeal adverLlslng
luLure sLudles may look aL oLher Lypes of medla such as 1v or Lhe lnLerneL 1herefore Lhe cross
culLural dlfferences shown from1v commerclals may be dlfferenL from Lhose shown fromprlnL
adverLlsemenLs LasL buL noL leasL fuLure sLudles can lnclude speclflc measuremenLs of Lhe
culLural dlmenslons Lo emplrlcally LesL Lhelr effecLs on responses Lo sex appeals undersLandlng
how consumers ln dlfferenL culLures respond Lo dlfferenL Lypes of adverLlslng appeals ls
lmporLanL for lnLernaLlonal adverLlsers