Consumer Responses Toward Sexual and Nonsexual Appeals: The Influence of Involvement, Need for Cognition (NFC), and Gender

Abstract

This research examines the influence of involvement, need for cognition (NFC), and gender on consumer response toward sexual and nonsexual appeals. The results show that sexual appeals lead to better memory and superior attitudes and purchase intent among low-involvement consumers, whereas high-involvement consumers process both sexual and nonsexual ads more thoroughly and exhibit superior attitudes and purchase intent toward nonsexual appeals. Similarly, low-NFC consumers favor sexual appeals, whereas high-NFC consumers favor nonsexual appeals. With respect to gender, women respond favorably to sexual appeals when there is a strong fit between the ad and brand, but not when the fit is weak. In contrast, men respond favorably to sexual appeals irrespective of the level of fit.