Abstract

This research explores consumers’ responses to sexual appeals in advertisements in the context of access-based consumption. The results indicate that male consumers’ responses toward sexual appeals are more negative when the advertised products are access based (versus ownership based). For female consumers, sexual appeals lead to equally negative responses in the two consumption modes (Study 1). Male consumers react more negatively to sexual appeals (versus nonsexual appeals) when the advertised product is access based because of a heightened desire for possessiveness, which conflicts with the nonpossessive nature of access-based consumption (Study 2). Notably, the negative effect induced by sexual appeals in access-based consumption mode is supported regardless of whether the degree of match between advertised product and sexual appeals is high or low (Study 3). Moreover, sexually conservative consumers respond to sexual appeals more negatively when the advertised products are access based (versus ownership based) (Study 4). These findings have important implications for advertising activities in the context of access-based consumption and the sharing economy.

摘要

这项研究探讨了消费者在基于访问的消费背景下对广告中性吸引力的反应。结果表明，当广告产品基于访问（相对于基于所有权）时，男性消费者对性吸引力的反应更为消极。对于女性消费者而言，性吸引力在两种消费模式中导致同样的负面反应（研究 1）。当广告产品是基于获取的，男性消费者对性诉求（相对于非性诉求）的反应更消极，因为对占有欲的强烈渴望，这与基于获取的消费的非占有性质相冲突（研究 2）。尤其，无论广告产品与性诉求的匹配度是高还是低，都支持基于访问的消费模式中性诉求引起的负面影响（研究 3）。此外，当广告产品基于访问（相对于基于所有权）时，性保守的消费者对性吸引力的反应更消极（研究 4）。这些发现对基于访问的消费和共享经济背景下的广告活动具有重要意义。