Content area
Full text
Changing attitudes, norms and demographics can lead to a greater need for inclusiveness and diversity in advertising and marketing. Globally, acceptance of homosexuality has increased in the past 20 years. In the USA, a Pew Research survey found that 72% of respondents in 2019 said homosexuality should be accepted, compared with to 49% of respondents surveyed in 2007 (Pew Research Center, 2020). To communicate with diverse consumers, brands need to pay attention to various minority groups and adapt their strategy accordingly. One example of this has been an increased acceptance of gay models and presenters in mainstream media and advertising in the USA (Elliot, 2013; Read et al., 2018). The word gay has become an umbrella term generally interpreted to include both male and female individuals attracted to individuals of their same sex (Borgerson et al., 2006). To date, most research regarding advertising featuring same-sex couples has looked at general responses to such ads among gay and heterosexual consumers (Bhat et al., 1998; Oakenfull et al., 2008; Puntoni et al., 2011). Research is needed that provides a more current and nuanced view identifying the situational factors that impact the responses to same-sex presenters and the meanings associated with their use (Eisend and Hermann, 2019).
Using source attributes and match-up hypothesis theory, the purpose of this research is to examine how perceived congruence between luxury versus value brands and a gay presenter’s image in advertising, affect mainstream consumers’ attitudes toward the ad and product evaluation.
Literature review
Source attributes in advertising effectiveness and the match-up hypothesis
It has been said that the selection of an endorser can be among the most critical decisions in an ad campaign (Lynch and Schuler, 1994). This is not surprising since there is rich literature in advertising and marketing that has recognized the choice of a spokesperson can influence the persuasive impact of the message (Bergkvist and Zhou, 2016; Petty and Cacioppo, 1986).
For a given situation, the source in an ad may be perceived as possessing different attributes that could enhance persuasiveness including expertise, credibility, physical attractiveness, liking, familiarity and similarity (Erdogan, 1999; Kamins and Gupta, 1994). These attributes can influence persuasion through a central route by enhancing or reinforcing belief in the main ad message...