Projection, representation and rationality: analysis of the reception of low-income consumers to advertisements using characters and real people

Abstract

This article investigates the reception and acceptance of advertising messages that use "characters" (animated and human) and "real people" to reach low-income consumers. To do this, we conducted a reception study through three focus groups in the Northeast, Midwest, and South regions of Brazil, with men and women enrolled in the "Cadastro Único" of the Federal Government, a system that groups families characterized by this income profile. The research was grounded in the sociocultural perspective, in which communication is conceived as a complex cultural process, and the audience is recognized as a meaning producer. The results point to the levels of effectiveness of the formats to persuade and engage this specific target, as well as lessons that can guide the future application of similar formats.