Activating stereotypes with brand imagery: The role of viewer political identity

Abstract

The use of ethnic imagery in visual identities of brands, such as those used by professional sports franchises, has long been a contentious issue in American society. This research investigates the oft‐voiced argument that ethnic brand imagery perpetuates negative stereotypes (a claim that has been subject to very little empirical scrutiny) and identifies conditions under which encountering such brand imagery strengthens both positive and negative implicit stereotypes. Within the context of American Indian brand imagery, two laboratory experiments (Studies 1 and 2) and a quasi‐experimental field study (Study 3) revealed that the effects of ethnic brand imagery on stereotypes depend on the viewer's political identity. Exposure to ethnic brand imagery strengthened implicit stereotypes only among more liberal individuals, consistent with the idea that liberals tend to hold more malleable views. These findings demonstrate measurable negative effects of ethnic brand imagery on implicit stereotypes and support the view that the use of such imagery can carry detrimental societal consequences.

Making the Invisible Visible: Acts of Commission and Omission

“…The negative effects of these representations extend beyond Native students' psychological outcomes. First, despite claims of honor Rosenstein, 2001), exposure to Native mascots, compared with a control mascot, decreased non-Natives' implicit stereotyping of Native Americans as "noble" and increased their implicit stereotyping of Native Americans as "warlike" (Angle, Dagogo-Jack, Forehand, & Perkins, 2017). Moreover, non-Natives' attitudes about the offensiveness of these mascots were not related to subsequent stereotyping of Native Americans as "warlike" (Angle et al, 2017).…”

“…First, despite claims of honor (Fryberg et al, 2008; Rosenstein, 2001), exposure to Native mascots, compared with a control mascot, decreased non-Natives’ implicit stereotyping of Native Americans as “noble” and increased their implicit stereotyping of Native Americans as “warlike” (Angle, Dagogo-Jack, Forehand, & Perkins, 2017). Moreover, non-Natives’ attitudes about the offensiveness of these mascots were not related to subsequent stereotyping of Native Americans as “warlike” (Angle et al, 2017). Being exposed to stereotypes, even implicitly, can influence how individuals treat the stereotyped group (Goff, Eberhardt, Williams, & Jackson, 2008).…”

Erasing and dehumanizing Natives to protect positive national identity: The Native mascot example

“…Exposure to Chief Wahoo versus non-Native mascots (i.e., Pittsburgh Pirates) made negative Native stereotypes (e.g., savage, primitive) more accessible to non-Native participants compared to positive Native stereotypes (e.g., noble, proud; Freng & Willis-Esqueda, 2011). In another study, non-Native participants primed with a Native (vs. kangaroo) mascot logo were more likely to implicitly and explicitly associate Natives (vs. White people) with "warlike" savages (Angle et al, 2017). Moreover, non-Natives whose local team (i.e., Cleveland Indians) used a Native mascot demonstrated a stronger implicit Native-savage association compared to people whose local team (i.e., Detroit Tigers) did not use a Native mascot (Angle et al, 2017).…”

“…Exposure to Native mascots lowers Native youth's self-esteem, community worth, academic goals and positive affect (Fryberg et al, 2008;LaRocque et al, 2011), and increases dysphoria, hostility, and depression (LaRocque et al, 2011). Among non-Natives, the use of Native mascots increases implicit stereotyping of (e.g., implicit association of Natives with negative attributes such as primitiveness; Angle et al, 2017;Burkley et al, 2017;Freng & Willis-Esqueda, 2011;Kraus et al, 2019) and explicit discrimination (e.g., verbal and physical abuse; Clark et al, 2011;Jacobs, 2014;Johnston-Goodstar & Roholt, 2017;Steinfeldt et al, 2010) against Natives. This robust body of research unequivocally demonstrates that Native mascots undermine Native well-being and intergroup relations, and it affirms Native communities' and organizations' long-standing opposition (see Change The Mascot, n.d. and Giago, 2019 for further discussion of Native activism).…”

Does history really matter: Investigating historical branded executions' effects on contemporary consumer attitudes

“…Angle et al's (2017, p. 89) examination of linkages between political ideology and implicit attitudes derived from stereotyped brand imagery concludes by calling for investigation of “downstream consequences of brand imagery driven stereotype activation on brand attitudes.” To investigate this, we situate stereotyped brand information in terms of culture which is “information capable of affecting individuals' behavior that they acquire from other[s]… through teaching, imitation, and other forms of social transmission” (Richerson and Boyd 2005, p. 5). Placement of stereotyped information in culture is necessary, as different cultures offer different foundational perspectives for consuming information.…”