초록 열기/닫기 버튼
본 연구는 광고모델로 등장하는 슈퍼스타가 광고수용자의 제품 평가에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. 구체적으로, 슈퍼스타가 이룩한 성공내용이 광고수용자에게 관련성이 있는지 그리고 그 성취수준이 얼마나 달성하기 힘든 탁월한 것인지에 따라 제품평가가 어떻게 달라지는가를 검증하였다. 아울러 슈퍼스타 효과가 나타나는 매개과정이 무엇인지를 살펴보았다. 이를 위해 2개의 실험이 실시되었다. 우선 실험 1은 슈퍼스타 광고모델의 관련성과 성취수준이 제품평가에 어떻게 영향을 미치는가를 살펴보고자 실시되었다. 이를 위해, 피험자들은 스포츠카에 대한 인쇄광고를 보았으며, 광고모델의 관련성(관련/비관련)과 성취수준 (달성가능/달성불가)이 실험적으로 조작되었다. 분석 결과, 관련성이 없는 모델의 경우 그 성취수준이 달성불가인 경우가 달성 가능한 경우보다 상대적으로 더 호의적인 제품평가를 유도한 반면, 관련성이 높은 모델의 경우에는 그 반대의 결과가 나타났다. 실험 2는 실험 1의 결과를 반복 검증해봄과 동시에 그러한 효과가 나타나는 매개과정을 살펴 볼 목적으로 이루어 졌다. 이를 위해 실험 1에서 이루어진 실험설계와 절차에 여러 개의 가능한 매개과정을 측정하고자 개발된 항목들을 추가하여 실험이 진행되었다. 분석 결과, 실험 1과 마찬가지로 제품평가에 대해 광고모델의 관련성과 성취수준의 상호작용 효과가 유의하게 나타났다. 매개과정에 대한 분석 결과 이러한 효과는 광고를 살펴보는과정에서 피험자가 경험하는 부정적 무드에 의해 매개되는 경향이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이에 대한 이론적 실무적 시사점이 논의 된다.
Using a superstar as a message endorser in advertising is a common practice in industry. Yet, the existing literature has shown that superstar advertising models can have sometimes positive effects and sometimes null effects on product judgments. Further, recent research in social psychology seems to suggest that using a superstar model in advertising might sometimes have even a backfire effect (i.e., resulting in less favorable evaluations of the advertised product than otherwise). The present research examined how a superstar model in a print ad can influence product judgments and why such effect takes place. In doing so, we identified boundary conditions under which varied effects due to a superstar model in advertising can be localized. Based on recent social psychological research on superstar effects in self evaluation (e.g., Lockwood and Kunda 1997, 1999; Tesser 1988), we derived hypotheses concerning the way in which product judgments are influenced by the degree of relevance of the model’s success to the ad recipients and the degree of the model’s achievement level. We predicted that product judgments would be more favorably evaluated when the model’s achievement level was moderate than extreme in case the model’s success was relevant to ad recipients, whereas the opposite effect would be true in case the success was not directly relevant to the ad recipients. This contingency was tested in two laboratory experiments and received support in general. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of the relevance and achievement level on product evaluations. To do so, participants examined one of four versions of a print ad for a fictitious sports car, which differed in terms of relevance (relevant/ irrelevant) and achievement level(attainable/unattainable) of a superstar ad model. They were then asked to assess favorability of the advertised product along various scales. Results indicated that when the model’s success pertained to a highly relevant domain for participants, the advertised product was more favorably evaluated when the success level was relatively less attainable than when it was more attainable. However, the reverse pattern was true when the model’s success pertained to an irrelevant domain for participants. Experiment 2 was conducted to replicate this finding and further, to investigate the underlying mechanism for the effect. Three possibilities were considered as to mediating processes: (1) affecting product evaluations via first influencing attitude toward advertisement, (2) affecting product evaluations via first influencing perceived attractiveness of the advertising model, and (3) affecting product evaluations via eliciting mood during ad exposure. To test these possibilities, various process measures were included in the experiment. Results indicated that as in Experiment 1, product evaluations were interactively influenced by the relevance and the achievement level. In addition, a similar interaction effect emerged in negative mood experienced by ad recipients during ad exposure. An analysis of covariance with the negative mood being as a covariate indicated that controlling the mood eliminated the interaction effect that was previously observed on the product evaluations. These results indicated that the superstar model effect on product evaluations were mediated by negative mood that participants experienced during ad exposure. In sum, the present research makes theoretical contributions to the literature by identifying new moderators for the superstar model effects in advertising as well as uncovering specific underlying processes by which the effects take place. In addition, findings from the present research provide important implications for advertising practice. For one thing, advertising managers are advised to more closely consider characteristics of the advertising model and the characteristics of the target audiences to improve the effectiveness of an ad. Otherwise, even a negative effect might occur after all the cost for employing an expensive superstar for the ad was incurred. Finally, limitations of this research are discussed and future research is suggested for generalizing our findings over different products and situations and extending the role of mood effect in advertising.
키워드열기/닫기 버튼
superstar, celebrity endorser, ad model effect, consumer behavior
