Abstract

To address a longstanding gap in the literature examining distraction effects resulting from the use of sexual appeals, a mixed-factors eye-tracking experiment (N = 108) was conducted to gauge how the use of sexual appeals in the form of partially clad, decorative female models impacts visual attention to competing ad components: model, product, advertising copy and the logo or brand. Findings suggest a visual distraction effect for ads containing models to operationalize sexual appeals. Although sexual appeals did not increase overall attention to the ad, gaze data reveal that for both men and women, visual attention directed specifically to models in ads with sexual appeals was greater than attention to models in non-sexual appeals. Moreover, this was more pronounced for men versus women. In addition, attention to ad copy and the brand suffered when sexual appeals were employed. These results provide greater specificity with respect to how sexual appeals impact consumer response and suggest that advertisers who wish to achieve strategic messaging goals through advertising copy should use visual sexual appeals with caution.

摘要

为了解决文献中长期存在的研究因使用性吸引力而引起的分心效应的空白，一项混合因素眼动追踪实验 ( N = 108) 的目的是衡量以部分穿着、装饰性女性模特的形式使用性吸引力如何影响对竞争广告组件的视觉注意力：模特、产品、广告文案和标志或品牌。调查结果表明，包含可操作性吸引力模型的广告会产生视觉干扰效果。尽管性吸引力并没有增加对广告的整体关注，但凝视数据显示，对于男性和女性，专门针对具有性吸引力的广告中的模特的视觉注意力比对非性吸引力中的模特的注意力更大。此外，这在男性与女性中更为明显。此外，当使用性吸引力时，对广告文案和品牌的关注也会受到影响。