Sexual stimuli in advertising: The opposite sex effect

Sexual stimuli in advertising often evoke an emotional state able to shape both
attitude towards the advertisement and towards the brands that interact in fostering
consumers’ purchase intention. These relationships can be influenced by the
interaction between the gender of the respondent and the gender of the model (opposite
sex effect).
The present study focuses on the interaction between brand and advertising attitude
and their conjoint effect on purchase intention in the light of the opposite sex effect.
Results show that such effect influences the attitude towards the advertisement
while it does not emerges whit reference to attitude towards the brand and purchase
intention.
Implications for advertising and brand management are discussed.
Keywords: sexual stimuli, opposite sex effect, print advertising, attitude towards the
brand, attitude towards the advertisement, purchase intention.