The attractiveness model proposes Essay Example

The attractiveness model proposes Essay The attractiveness model proposes that the effectiveness of a message depends on the sources physical attractiveness, likeability, familiarity and similarity to the recipient of the message. (Shimp 2003:297) Evidence suggests that attractiveness is an important factor and this is reinforced by the empirical use of celebrity endorsers in the first who are general seen as physically attractive (Ohanion 1990:41). Without doubt the rapid rate at which fans adopt the new Beckham hairstyle supports this and highlights his effectiveness in appealing to target audience aspirations. A study conducted by Zhou (2004) found that these western appeals worked on high involvement goods and although the local cultures concept of beauty is different, the inspirational aspect became so vital that such ads are quite successful as long as western models are used. Following on the concept of attractiveness and the need to use western models, current evidence emerging in China demonstrates the adaptable use of a foreign celebrity known as Dashan . Canadian by birth, this lanky Ottawa is relatively unknown in Canada however he is now renowned as the first westerner to perform the ancient Chinese art of xiangsheng, or comedic dialogue. Roswell, 39, is prospering in a society where TV performers work for minimal pay, earning his keep through lucrative advertising endorsement . (www. chinadaily. com ) The Dashan character provides Rowswell with a decent income and has enabled him to carry the personal satisfaction that his efforts may chip away at the Great Wall of cultural misunderstanding between China and the West. We will write a custom essay sample on The attractiveness model proposes specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The attractiveness model proposes specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The attractiveness model proposes specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He collaborates and notes I try to bring to the Chinese a new image of foreigners that flies in the face of the stereotypes most have grown up with,(www. chinadaily. com ). This is a dynamic example of the use of foreigners in endorsements and shows how attractiveness , credibility and match up can be suited to a differing cultural context Unfortunately physical attractiveness is a difficult concept to define. The old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder is applicable here. (Benoy 1982:15) . This leads one to the admission that different cultures will ultimately perceive physical attractiveness in a different way and individuals who would be considered attractive in one country may be considered unattractive in another. (Rhodes, Zebrowitz: 1997) A clear example would be the depiction of beautiful women in the west. Generally, evidence suggest that women who are tall elegant and slim are regarded as beautiful. In contrast, Africans consider fullness of figure as vital while height is not as important. One would therefore assume that western models would have no appeal in these cultures . Evidence suggest otherwise , most depiction of models in multinational firms in China have western views of beauty. Despite David Beckhams seemingly global appeal, there are instances when his endorsements have been received in bad taste as happened in Iran (some cultures attach less importance to physical beauty than others). Research reveals that collectivistic cultures attach less significance to physical attractiveness while individualism is directly related to stereotyping and physical attractiveness. This therefore explains why Beckham as an endorser in China is eclipsed by Luo Xian ( www.chainatoday. com ) who is regarded as being more attractive. Furthermore, Erdogan, et al. (2001) found that trustworthiness and expertise were more important for technical products. Thus it would be reasonable to conclude that the concept of physical attractive is more essential when considering endorsements of non technical products. In general, physically attractive endorsers are seen as more effective than less attractive endorsers in terms of creating favourable impressions towards the advertised brands and products (Shimp 2003). It can be seen from the evidence presented that attractiveness, likeability and personality are more related to attention getting whereas expertise is closely related to intention to purchase . What is clear is that celebrities are a more attractive and credible source in advertising, consequently these factors should have a bearing on how celebrities are used in a cross cultural context as these dimensions are affected by culture. Dimensions of culture High vs. low context Culture has been shown to be one of the most obvious and frequently used orientations for showing differences between Asian and western societies (Cho et al. 1999; Kim, Pan, and Park 1998). In the advertising context such differences are highlighted by the differing communication facets. These dimensions suggest two kinds of communication types. A high context communication is one in which most of the information is already available in the physical context or within the persons frame of reference. Whereas a low context communication is just the opposite, in that the mass of the information is emphasised in the explicit code. In high-context cultures (China), messages are conveyed in an abstract, implicit, and indirect manner. In contrast, communication in low-context cultures is more straightforward, explicit, and direct. Western countries such as the United States are characterized as low-context cultures whereas, Asian cultures such as Japan and Korea exhibit a high-context communication style. (Chow et al. 1999; Hall 1976). This point is important because it raises questions about whether an endorser can be truly global and use similar appeals and endorsement techniques between different countries, evidence gathered so far and practical examples show that there is a crucial need to adapt at least the communication style of the host country. It is fair to conclude that in low context cultures celebrity endorsements are often information orientated and follow a central route to persuasion. Conversely, in high context cultures advertising tends to be more emotional, symbolic and should follow a peripheral route to persuasion. Individualism vs. collectivism Another common cultural dimension is to compare individualistic versus collective societies. Originating from Hoofsteds work in 1984 this concept shows how different values are appreciated across cultures. Individualistic societies such as the UK show high realisation, independence and high levels of competition characteristic of western societies. In contrast, collective societies emphasise interdependence , harmony , family , group oriented goals and low levels of competition . (hofstede 1984) These concepts also influence advertising and celebrity endorsements . Advertising in individualistic countries often emphasises independence, uniqueness and success of individuals. In contrast, collective cultures use endorsements that show the cultural values of interdependence, integrity group goals and concern for others. In this respect employing celebrities to endorse products seems to be more fitting to collectivistic cultures because celebrities transfer symbolic meanings and this is an integral part of high context culture communications. Conclusions This paper has clarified the meaning of celebrities and endorsements. We have further expanded by including how one becomes a celebrity and deviated from the norm by showing that one does not necessarily have to be successful in a particular arena to qualify as a celebrity. This study has therefore highlighted the importance of media (such as television) in the making of celebrities. There is a suggestion that celebrities can be purposefully built and used in the endorsement process. Particular examples relating to popular Big brother television series have been cited to prove this. The study has shown that culture inevitably influences the content and style of advertising across countries. Celebrity endorsement provides a frame of reference with the product for consumers. Advertising techniques will naturally vary across different countries. Given the financial implications of cross country advertising it is important to assess these differences. The report has clearly demonstrated the need for this through practical examples that relate to the need for adaptation toward local audiences in the celebrity endorsement process. Comparing such differences has added depth and clarity to understanding comparisons involving the study cultures that vary on the major constructs with sufficient functional similarities such as China and the U. K (Berry 1980). Celebrity endorsements have been analysed from three important aspects credibility, attractiveness and meaning transfer. It has also been clearly shown that credibility is not as important a factor as suggested by literature. The rap culture example is clear testimony that even seemingly unconvincing celebrity endorsers can still successfully promote consumer products. It can be concluded that, although credibility does influence the success of the endorsement process, it is not a deciding factor. Moreover advertisers can take advantage of such endorsers and attempt to match them to target audience cultural values, however extreme. Attractiveness has been shown to be a unique concept that allows and enables the penetration of celebrity endorsement into the cluttered media space. Attractive celebrities have been shown to be quite effective. However this paper has noted the different interpretations of beauty across the cultures. These do not seem to significantly affect the use of such celebrity endorsees in different countries. In fact it would seem that there is a growing convergence towards the western definition of beauty and that these can be used to inspire target audiences in other countries. There is little doubt that the, Dashan example offers new insights into how both the transfer of meaning , credibility and attractiveness can be incorporated in cross cultural celebrity endorsements . Careful pre-test of celebrity endorsements should be carried out in such markets before the endorsement strategy is fully implemented. The match up hypothesis has been shown to be outdated and inadequate in explaining the success of celebrity endorser who has promoted products that are either outside their area of expertise, rival competing brands or products that have little fit with their characteristics. Although this theory must inevitably be used as a baseline, It seems possible in international advertising to venture in product endorsements that may have little fit with the endorser and take advantage of other aspects such as credibility and attractiveness instead. Although the first part of McCracken model is quite precise, the second part needs further expansion and the model misses essentially ingredients necessary in the understanding of the transfer of meaning. In this respect it is necessary to first look at the product and relate it to cultural aspirations and then ultimately adjusts the endorser execution or presentation of the product to suit the national or cultural appeals. It would be folly for example, to have endorsement in China based on the Beckham sex appeal as often seen in the U. K. The importances of cultural considerations have been carefully appraised and should complement the implementation and understanding how advertising works. We can reach the logical conclusion that Chinese audiences are more likely to conform to group norms and more likely to follow pre-dominant trends , unlike their western counterparts . Ultimately, this essay has shown that cross cultural celebrity endorsement is still a relatively new area of research. In addition, there is inconsistency in how celebrities are used at an international level. It is also unlikely that international celebrity endorsements can succeed without relative adaptation of both the product, the message and the endorser to suit prevailing cultural considerations in the host country. The degree and extent of adaptation will differ depending on the psychic distance between the endorse and the target audience. Limitations Given the mentioned importance of cross cultural similarities and differences, findings of this study do not provide answers regarding how often celebrities are used in the two differing cultures. Neither is it clarified as to how far celebrity endorsers can be extended in different countries. Such answers can be derived from a more substantial content analysis rather than a qualitative report. There is also a need to research the extent of public glamorisation between cultures, and how personal characteristics may influence this. Although this paper attempted to demonstrate the differing endorsements strategies between countries, it fails to provide enough examples largely due to its qualitative nature. Advertising practitioners need to know more than just when to use a celebrity endorser. They should also be clear on how to use endorsers. It may be necessary to examine how this can be done indifferent countries. Bibliography 1. Agrawal, Jagdish, and Wagner A. Kamakura (1995), The Economic Worth of Celebrity Endorsers: An Event Study Analysis Journal of Marketing, 59 (3), 5 2. Benoy, J, (1982) the credibility of physically attractive communicators, A Review of journal of Advertising 11. 3 p15-23 3. Choi S. M , Lee W. N, Kim. H. J(2005) Lessons From The Rich and Famous :A Cross cultural Comparison of Celebrity Endorsement in Advertising , Journal of advertising vol 34 iss. 2pg 85