Why do Caucasian advertising models appeal to consumers in Taiwan?

AbstractTo test the influence of model ethnicity on advertising effectiveness in East Asia, this research proposed a cue-triggered value-expressive model, according to which positive attitudes towards western models help consumers with independent self-concepts express themselves. Western models generated more favourable ad responses (ad credibility, diagnosticity and attitudes), promoted stronger self–brand connections and led to more favourable brand attitudes than did Asian advertising models among independent respondents in Taiwan. In contrast, consumers with interdependent self-concepts did not exhibit such differences. Independent self-concepts also consisted of two sub-dimensions: horizontal individualism focused on the desire to be different, and vertical individualism centred on the desire to be superior. The former dimension accounted for the enhanced effects of western models. Three experiments confirmed that expressing positive attitudes towards these advertising models served value-expressive functions among consumers with uniqueness self-concepts when they read ads promoting products that were publicly (Study 1 and 3) or privately (Study 2) consumed. Additional informationNotes on contributorsChingching ChangChingching Chang (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison) is a Chair Professor at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. Her research interests include advertising psychology, health communication and consumer behaviours. She has published in Communication Research, Communication Theory, Health Communication, Human Communication Research, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Communication, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Journal of Business and Psychology, Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Media Psychology, Political Communication, Psychology & Marketing, The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics and Sex Roles.