The Effects of Sexualized and Violent Presentations of Women in Combat Sport

Abstract

This study utilizes an experimental design to investigate how different presentations (sexualized, neutral, and combat) of female athletes competing in a combat sport such as mixed martial arts, a sport defying traditional gender norms, affect consumers’ attitudes toward the advertising, event, and athlete brand. When the female athlete in the advertisement was in a sexualized presentation, male subjects reported higher attitudes toward the advertisement and the event than the female subjects. Female respondents preferred neutral presentations significantly more than the male respondents. On the one hand, both male and female respondents felt the fighter in the sexualized ad was more attractive and charming than the fighter in the neutral or combat ads and more personable than the fighter in the combat ads. On the other hand, respondents felt the fighter in the sexualized ad was less talented, less successful, and less tough than the fighter in the neutral or combat ads and less wholesome than the fighter in the neutral ad.

[Traducción al español] Comprensión de las dimensiones de la autenticidad de la marca de los deportistas

“…Algunos manuscritos en el pasado han identificado dos categorías de marca de atleta (en la cancha y fuera de la cancha), planteando elementos de la construcción de la marca de atleta usando estas dos dimensiones (Arai et al, 2014;Hasaan et al, 2018). Sin embargo, el mercadeo de atletas también se plantea en las publicaciones existentes (Greenwell et al, 2017;Parmentier y Fischer, 2012); por ejemplo, Yu (2005) menciona que una marca de atleta depende de dos dimensiones distintas de la vida del atleta, éxito en el campo e imagen positiva fuera del campo; mientras que Hasaan et al (2020) mencionan que las actividades de mercadeo y negocios le dan un fuerte impulso al desarrollo de la marca. En esta misma línea, Greenwell et al (2017) resaltan que el mercadeo del atleta asegura su autenticidad.…”

Understanding the dimensions of athlete brand authenticity

“…Past studies have identified two categories of athlete brand (on-field and off-field) and have discussed brand construction of athletes using these two dimensions (Arai et al, 2014;Hasaan et al, 2018). However, the marketing of an athlete is also discussed in the literature (Greenwell et al, 2017;Parmentier & Fischer, 2012). For instance, Yu (2005) mentioned that an athlete brand is dependent upon two different dimensions of an athlete's life -on-field success and off-field positive image -while Hasaan, Javani, Fisne, & Sato (2020) mentioned that business and marketing activities boost athlete branding.…”

“…For instance, Yu (2005) mentioned that an athlete brand is dependent upon two different dimensions of an athlete's life -on-field success and off-field positive image -while Hasaan, Javani, Fisne, & Sato (2020) mentioned that business and marketing activities boost athlete branding. In this vein, Greenwell et al (2017) noted that athlete marketing ensures the athlete's authenticity.…”

Understanding the Lack of Diversity in Sport Consumer Behavior Research

“…Though some of the articles simply used women's sport as a data source, 26 of 40 articles had a research purpose that called for research in a women's sport setting. Research with a stated purpose focusing on women's sport focused on the following topics: motives for spectating (Ferreira & Armstrong, 2004;Filo & Funk, 2005;Funk et al, 2002;Funk et al, 2003;Koo & Hardin, 2008;Lough & Kim, 2004;Kahle et al, 2001;Ridinger & Funk, 2006;Valenti et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2003); demand/preference for women's sport (Farrell et al, 2011;Ferreira, 2009;Fink et al, 2002;Meier et al, 2016;Shackelford & Greenwell, 2005); media coverage and perceptions of women's sport (Dixon, 2002;Greenwell et al, 2017;Hallmann, 2012;Kane & Maxwell, 2011;Zhang et al, 2011); sponsorship of women's sport (Boyd & Shank, 2004;Lough & Irwin, 2001;Maxwell & Lough, 2009); psychological connection (Delia, 2020;Kerstetter & Kovich, 1997); and perceptions of LGBTQ-focused marketing (Mumcu & Lough, 2017).…”