A Comparative Study of the U.S. and Ghana College Students’ Perceptions of Advertising-in-General and Impact on Purchase Intentions

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article responds to calls for more cross-cultural research on advertising that tests the applicability of Pollay and Mittal’s (1993) attitude toward advertising-in-general framework in multiple cultures. It investigates U.S. and Ghanaian college students’ perceptions of advertising-in-general and their purchase intentions. It uses survey data from 248 U.S. and 242 Ghanaian college students and employs exploratory factor analysis and regression analyses in its empirical approach. Findings reveal that there are differences and similarities among the student cohorts studied. While four factors informed U.S.-college students’ attitudes toward advertising only three of these factors were relevant for Ghanaian College students. Furthermore, U.S.-college students make use of a more complex and wider range of information sources than their Ghanaian counterparts. Moreover, consumers’ perceptions about advertisements have significant associations with purchase intentions. The findings provide evidence of the generalizability of Pollay and Mittal’s (1993) framework and contribute to the Global Consumer Culture Theory.