Brains and Beauty: Using facts and attraction in advertising

  First, the use of an attractive model increases the product's appeal, and works especially well as beauty and health is relevant to the product being advertised (Trampe, Stapel, Siero & Mulder, 2010); improved beauty and health are the primary benefits from eating more citrus fruits.

  In addition, research has suggested that advertising generates social comparison (Richins, 1991). Social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954) proposes that consumers compare themselves with the people portrayed in advertisements. Gulas and McKeage (2000) found evidence to support this notion, and also showed that humans tend to continuously took for ways to improve themselves. This extended view of social comparison argues that in addition to self-evaluation, comparison serves to enhance and improve (Wood 1989). Therefore, the attractive model featured in the ad should inspire viewers to consume more citrus fruits to improve their health and appearance (Hogg, Bruce & Hough, 1999).

  Second, even if the audience looks beyond the physical attractiveness of the model, the factual and objective information used in the poster helps to demonstrate the more specific effect that consuming the product has (Mahon, 2010). In fact, it could be argued that the facts complement the attractive model as the information helps to support the idea that the product, in this case citrus fruits, promotes health and beauty.

References:

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Gulas, C. S., & McKeage, K. (2000). Extending social comparison: An examination of the unintended consequences of idealized advertising imagery. Journal of Advertising, 29(2), 17-28.

Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human relations, 7(2), 117-140.

Hogg, M. K., Bruce, M., & Hough, K. (1999). Female images in advertising: the implications of social comparison for marketing. International Journal of Advertising, 18(4), 445-473.

Insel, P., Roth, W., Irwin, J., & Burke, S. (2011). Core concepts in health. Oshawa, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Kozlowska, A., & Szostak-Wegierek, D. (2014). Flavonoids-food sources and health benefits. Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny, 65(2), 79-85.

Linck, V. M., Da Silva, A. L., Figueiró, M., Caramão, E. B., Moreno, P. R. H., & Elisabetsky, E. (2010). Effects of inhaled Linalool in anxiety, social interaction and aggressive behavior in mice. Phytomedicine, 17(8), 679-683.

Mahon, N. (2010). Basics Advertising 02: Art Direction (Vol. 2). Switzerland: AVA Publishing.

Richins, M. L. (1991). Social comparison and the idealized images of advertising. Journal of consumer research, 71-83.

Trampe, D., Stapel, D. A., Siero, F. W., & Mulder, H. (2010). Beauty as a tool: The effect of model attractiveness, product relevance, and elaboration likelihood on advertising effectiveness. Psychology & Marketing, 27(12), 1101-1121.

Wood, J. V. (1989). Theory and research concerning social comparisons of personal attributes. Psychological bulletin, 106(2), 231.