“Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women

In light of a growing consumer and media outcry against using unrealistically thin models in advertisements, global brands are featuring more inclusive model images in their campaigns, including using average-sized models. However, do consumers from different cultures have varying preferences for mo...

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Main Authors: Lou, Chen, Tse, Caleb H., Lwin, May Oo
Other Authors: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/144816
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-1448162023-05-19T07:31:19Z “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women Lou, Chen Tse, Caleb H. Lwin, May Oo Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Nanyang Business School Social sciences::Communication Advertising Model Size In light of a growing consumer and media outcry against using unrealistically thin models in advertisements, global brands are featuring more inclusive model images in their campaigns, including using average-sized models. However, do consumers from different cultures have varying preferences for model size? To investigate the impact of using an average-sized model (versus a thin model) in apparel ads, we first conducted experiments in both an individualistic culture (i.e., United States) and a collectivistic culture in Asia (i.e., Singapore). Our findings demonstrate that U.S. women expressed increased purchase intentions upon seeing an average-sized model (versus a thin model). Their perceived user-imagery congruity (UIC) also mediates the link between model size and purchase intentions. However, Singaporean women did not differ in their responses upon seeing the ad with an average-sized model (versus a thin model). A further investigation among Singaporean women reveals that their societal view of thinness moderates the impact of model size on purchase intentions, with UIC as the underlying mechanism. Our findings offer theoretical and practical implications for cross-cultural advertising and advance the literature on Asian advertising. Nanyang Technological University This study was funded by a 2018–2019 American Academy of Advertising (AAA) research fellowship and the first author’s and second author’s start-up grants at Nanyang Technological University (M4081983.060, M4082264.010). 2020-11-25T05:27:57Z 2020-11-25T05:27:57Z 2019 Journal Article Lou, C., Tse, C. H., & Lwin, M. O. (2019). “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? a cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women. Journal of Advertising, 48(5), 512-531. doi:10.1080/00913367.2019.1668890 0091-3367 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/144816 10.1080/00913367.2019.1668890 5 48 512 531 en M4081983.060 M4082264.010 Journal of Advertising © 2019 American Academy of Advertising. All rights reserved.
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Social sciences::Communication
Advertising
Model Size
spellingShingle Social sciences::Communication
Advertising
Model Size
Lou, Chen
Tse, Caleb H.
Lwin, May Oo
“Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women
description In light of a growing consumer and media outcry against using unrealistically thin models in advertisements, global brands are featuring more inclusive model images in their campaigns, including using average-sized models. However, do consumers from different cultures have varying preferences for model size? To investigate the impact of using an average-sized model (versus a thin model) in apparel ads, we first conducted experiments in both an individualistic culture (i.e., United States) and a collectivistic culture in Asia (i.e., Singapore). Our findings demonstrate that U.S. women expressed increased purchase intentions upon seeing an average-sized model (versus a thin model). Their perceived user-imagery congruity (UIC) also mediates the link between model size and purchase intentions. However, Singaporean women did not differ in their responses upon seeing the ad with an average-sized model (versus a thin model). A further investigation among Singaporean women reveals that their societal view of thinness moderates the impact of model size on purchase intentions, with UIC as the underlying mechanism. Our findings offer theoretical and practical implications for cross-cultural advertising and advance the literature on Asian advertising.
author2 Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
author_facet Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Lou, Chen
Tse, Caleb H.
Lwin, May Oo
format Article
author Lou, Chen
Tse, Caleb H.
Lwin, May Oo
author_sort Lou, Chen
title “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women
title_short “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women
title_full “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women
title_fullStr “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women
title_full_unstemmed “Average-sized” models do sell, but what about in East Asia? A cross-cultural investigation of U.S. and Singaporean women
title_sort “average-sized” models do sell, but what about in east asia? a cross-cultural investigation of u.s. and singaporean women
publishDate 2020
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/144816
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