Effects of Face Images and Face Pareidolia on Consumers' Responses to Print Advertising

Abstract

The present research investigates whether print advertisements featuring faces (i.e., "face ads") or face-like images (i.e., "pareidolian ads") are better able to capture consumer attention than ads that do not include such elements. In two studies, the research examined the effects of exposing consumers to print ads containing faces or pareidolian images for short time lapses (0.5, 1, and 3 seconds). The results show that both ad types capture viewers' attention and are more frequently recognized than advertisements that do not feature faces or face-like objects. Moreover, both face ads and pareidolian ads increase brand recognition and ad preference. The theoretical and operational implications are discussed.• Ads featuring human faces and "face-like" (i.e., pareidolian) images capture greater attention and preference than other ads in short time lapses. • With increasing time exposure, the attention-grabbing capacity of face and pareidolian ads gradually decreases. • Face and pareidolian ads lead to greater ad and brand recognition than other ads.

The Power of Brand Selfies in Consumer-Generated Brand Images

“…This is consistent with findings that faces capture more attention than competing visual stimuli and are processed at higher speed and in greater detail (e.g., Devue, Belopolsky and Theeuwes 2012). This attentional bias has also been demonstrated in print advertising (Guido, Pichierri and Pino 2018). From a brand perspective, facial consumer images in UGC can be a double-edged sword.…”

“I Will Start Saving Natural Resources, Only When You Show Me the Planet as a Person in Danger”: The Effects of Message Framing and Anthropomorphism on Pro-Environmental Behaviors that are Viewed as Effortful

“…Next, we needed to edit our stimuli and properly manipulate anthropomorphism. In this procedure we drew on prior experiments that mostly used human-face features to induce anthropomorphic thinking (e.g., [63][64][65][66]). Accordingly, facial morphology (i.e., smiling or frowning eyes and mouths) works as a sufficient cue to make one attribute humanlike qualities to inanimate objects (in evolutionary terms, faces and face-like images constitute one of the strongest visual stimuli that captures attention and conveys significant information about the "humanness" of an object [67]).…”

The Influences of Parasocial Relationship and Sources Credibility in Promoting Sustainable Fashion in Social Network Sites

“…Simultaneously, such framing seems to be a strong marketing tool. [53] revealed that almost 91.7 percent of face advertisements had attracted attention more than no-face advertisements. By incorporating faces and image in advertising message, an organization may avoid the possibility of banner blindness phenomenon [54].…”