Endorser gender and age effects in B2B advertising

Abstract

Female and male endorsers, both young and old, are often featured in B2B advertisements. However, our current understanding of gender and age effects in B2B advertising is limited. In this research, the authors explore the effects of endorser gender and age on attention, recall, endorser-brand fit, and brand attitudes among organizational purchase decision-makers. An exploratory content analysis and three experiments were conducted—the content analysis established the varied gender depictions of models in popular business magazine ads. In Study 1, eye tracking established gaze behaviors of business professionals viewing a B2B ad featuring a man, a woman, or no person. Study 2 supports the hypothesis that gender-based endorser-brand fit mediates the relationship between endorser’s gender in B2B ads and utilitarian attitudes towards the brand. Study 3 showed no appreciable difference in endorser-brand fit perceptions or attitudes towards the brand attributable to whether the endorser was young or old.