Grotesque imagery enhances the persuasiveness of luxury brand advertising

Abstract

The current research empirically documents grotesque imagery’s positive effect on the persuasiveness of luxury brand advertising, and examines the perceived fit between grotesque imagery and luxury branding as the psychological mechanism underlying that effect. The results of two studies showed that grotesque imagery in advertisements for luxury products enhanced consumers’ brand experiences and increased their purchase intentions by transporting them to the narratives portrayed in the ads. This process was driven by the perceived fit between grotesque imagery and luxury branding, which leads to fluent processing, thereby facilitating transportation to the ad. This research presents clear evidence that grotesque ads can effectively influence consumers when they are used to promote luxury brands.