Effects of the Appearance and Body Type of Models Used in Advertising Images on the Self-Esteem of Consumers - Comparison Between Males and Females
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School of Business |
Bachelor's thesis
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Date
2018
Department
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Mcode
Degree programme
(Mikkeli) Bachelor’s Program in International Business
Language
en
Pages
49 + 1
Series
Abstract
Objectives The main objectives of this study were to explore ways in which the body type and appearance of models portrayed in advertising images affect the self-esteem of young adult consumers, to compare the explored effects between males and females, and, based on the results of the study, to provide businesses with recommendations on which kinds of models should be chosen to be featured in advertisements for the attitude of consumers towards the brand to be as favorable as possible. Summary Media, such as advertising, is believed to have significant impact on the self-perceptions of consumers by displaying images of idealized and unrealistic models. This, especially if the impact is negative, may not be a favorable situation for businesses, either. This study focused on exploring effects that advertising images featuring models with either idealized or average appearance have on the self-esteem of young adult consumers. Two focus groups were conducted in order to compare these effects between two genders, males and females. In addition, recommendations to businesses are provided. Conclusions The findings of this study seem to indicate that exposure to neither an idealized nor an ordinary-looking advertising model has significant impact on the self-esteem of an individual. The results suggest that no significant effects were explored, because the participants were not able to relate to the models in the displayed advertising images. However, some positive impact on the self-esteem of male participants could be explored. When it comes to recommendations to businesses, relatable models seem to be favored by females, whereas attractive models were perceived as more preferable by males.Description
Thesis advisor
Collins, KristieKeywords
advertising, consumers, consumer behavior, gender differences