COMMUNICATING WITH THE SEXES: Male and Female Responses to Print Advertisements

This research studies how men and women respond to different types of print advertisements. The results show that women have superior affect (Aad and Ab) and purchase intent toward advertisements that are verbal, harmonious, complex, and category-oriented, whereas men have superior affect (Aad and Ab) and purchase intent toward advertisements that are comparative, simple, and attribute-oriented. In two studies, and across a variety of advertisements, men and women listed an equivalent number of total thoughts. In all instances, however, women listed more category-oriented thoughts and men listed more attribute-oriented thoughts. This pattern of results suggests that women use a relational processing style, whereas men use an item-specific processing style.