Ethical judgments of sexualized ads featuring Women: The role of identification with feminine archetypes

Abstract

Women may react differently to sexualized ads featuring women. Notably, while some women may regard a sexual imagery as empowering, others may perceive it as a sign of objectification. Accurate predictions of women’s reactions to sexualized ads remain limited. Four studies, conducted in the United States and France, reveal that identification with feminine archetypes affects ethical judgment of sexualized ads through differences in perceived male dominance. Results show that women with high self-esteem as well as women preferring intense make-up have a less negative ethical judgment towards perceived male dominance. Findings contribute to research by highlighting the importance of the archetypes framework for segmenting an advertising audience and for determining ethical judgment. This research highlights the role played by perceived male dominance, self-esteem and make-up preference in the relationship between identification to archetypes and ethical judgment. Finally, it provides new guidelines to define relevant targets for advertising campaign.