Too Hot or Not? Consumer Responses to Different Levels of Eroticism in Advertisements Depending on Consumer and Model Gender

摘要

We investigate the effect of the level of eroticism of models shown in advertisements on • evaluations of the promoted product and assume that eroticism influences evaluations via two mediating variables: the feelings induced in consumers and the beliefs of the consumers about the inappropriate use of these models for advertising purposes. We posit that these mediating variables are influenced by the combination of the consumer gender and the model gender. Thereby, we hypothesize that the consumer/model gender combination has a twofold role in the relation between model eroticism and product evaluations. We find support for these roles of the gender combinations. We deduce the optimum level of eroticism in advertising depending on the consumer and model gender and provide evidence for our predictions.