Stereotype activation in advertising: Implications for consumer behaviour

Two studies assessed the impact of ads featuring stigmatised group members on attitudes toward the ad, attitudes toward the product, purchase intent, and ultimately, purchase behaviour. The primary goal of Study 1 was to assess whether stereotypes or implicit prejudice are automatically activated when participants are exposed to ads featuring stigmatised group members. The presence or absence of stigmatised group members in ads was manipulated and participants' automatic stereotype activation, along with attitudes toward the ad, attitudes toward the product, purchase intent, and purchase behaviour were assessed. Results revealed that implicit prejudice was activated to a somewhat greater extent for high prejudice individuals exposed to an ad featuring a stigmatised group member than high prejudice individuals exposed to an ad featuring a nonstigmatised group member. In contrast, implicit prejudice was activated to a somewhat lesser extent for low prejudice individuals exposed to an ad featuring a stigmatised group member than low prejudice individuals exposed to an ad featuring a nonstigmatised group member.; The goal of Study 2 was to assess whether the simultaneous activation of conflicting stereotypes (i.e., both positive stereotypes associated with membership in a positively valued group and negative stereotypes associated with membership in a stigmatised group) in advertisements featuring stigmatised group members eliminates the potential negative impact of negative stereotype or implicit prejudice activation. As in Study 1, attitudes toward the ad, attitudes toward the product, purchase intent, and purchase behaviour were assessed. Study 2 results suggest that individuals experienced activation of implicit prejudice (but not stereotypes about Blacks) to a somewhat greater extent when exposed to an advertisement featuring a Black target than an advertisement featuring a White target. Positive stereotypes about doctors were activated to a somewhat greater extent when individuals were exposed to an advertisement featuring the target (Black or White) depicted as a doctor. Furthermore, motivation to control prejudice reactions was found to moderate the effect of the presence of stigmatised group members in advertising and membership in a positively valued group on subsequent attitudes toward the ad, attitudes toward the product, purchase intent, and purchase behaviour. Additional results and implications are discussed.