Ad Schema Incongruity as Elicitor of Ethnic Self-Awareness and Differential Advertising Response

Abstract

It is proposed that targeting strategies that are incongruent with existing advertising schemata due to unusual use of identity cues can increase the salience of particular self-identifications and influence consumer response to advertising targeting specific audiences. In an experiment, Hispanic and Anglo consumers were exposed to one of two versions of a Hispanic-targeted advertisement. The two versions were identical except that the first version featured an English-language voice-over (congruent with existing advertising schemata) whereas the second version featured a Spanish-language voice-over with English subtitles (incongruent with existing advertising schemata). Experimental participants were more likely to spontaneously report their ethnicity in self-descriptions (a measure of ethnic selfawareness) if they were exposed to the schema-incongruent ad than if they were exposed to the schema-congruent ad. Ad schema congruity also moderated the impact of target market membership on consumer attitudes toward the spokesperson and advertising.

Mental representation of brands: a schema-based approach to consumers’ organization of market knowledge

“…Advertising undoubtedly satisfies this criterion. Ads are characterized by frequent and repeated exposures and by regularities in terms of their physical, semantic and structural features (Callister and Stern, 2008;Dimofte et al, 2004). Consequently, consumers can easily develop expectations regarding certain "type" of ads.…”

Does Race Matter? Implicit and Explicit Measures of the Effect of the PR Spokesman's Race on Evaluations of Spokesman Source Credibility and Perceptions of a PR Crisis' Severity

“…For instance, research findings have suggested that White Americans no longer consider race in evaluating ad spokespersons (Appiah, 2001). One explanation for why Whites do not think about race is that their racial identity is not made salient, and thus White Americans are less likely to take race into account (Dimofte, Forehand, & Deshpandé, 2004). In other words, the invisibility of Whiteness makes race matter only in certain contexts (Munshi & Edwards, 2011).…”

“…Studies from advertising and online social media promotion show that ethnic matching or ethnic targeted messages can lead to more positive perceptions of the brand by the target's group (Aaker, Brumbaugh, & Grier, 2000;Dimofte et al, 2004;Kim & Cheong, 2011;Roslow & Nicholls, 1996;Spence, et al, In press). For instance, in a study of athlete endorsements for a golf product (Kim & Cheong, 2011), the authors found that when the athlete matched the ethnicity of the consumer, there was a positive attitude toward the brand and a greater perception that there was a fit between the athlete and the brand, leading to more positive brand attitudes and purchase intentions.…”

“…In conditions where there was a mismatch between the athlete's ethnicity and the consumer's ethnicity, those paths were not significant. Other research suggests that target marketing advertising messages to minority groups (i.e., Blacks, Hispanics, gays) might lead the majority group (Whites) to rate the ad more negatively (Aaker, et al, 2000;Dimofte, et al, 2004). Other studies show that Caucasians will rate African American spokespersons positively, but not as positively as African American audiences members will .…”

Whiteness, ethnic minorities and advertising in travel brochures

“…These new approaches raise questions about appropriate methods of targeting advertising at ethnic groups and the impact of advertising messages on target and non-target audiences (Grier & Brumbaugh, 1999;Holland & Gentry, 1999). Furthermore, the contribution of socialization variables (Bush, et al, 1999), intra-ethnic group variables (Green, 1999), the impact of cultural and subcultural knowledge and ethnic self-awareness (Dimofte, Forehand, & Deshpande, 2004) shows the need for a more complex approach to ethnic portrayal in advertising images.…”