The use of cosmetics is closely related to an individual’s sense of self-satisfaction as it penetrates the psychological state of individuals. Consumers regard the models featured in cosmetics advertisements as the embodiment of the ideal image they...
The use of cosmetics is closely related to an individual’s sense of self-satisfaction as it penetrates the psychological state of individuals. Consumers regard the models featured in cosmetics advertisements as the embodiment of the ideal image they want to pursue. Especially for women who place a high value on the pursuit of beauty, stunningly beautiful models in cosmetics advertisements serve as the object of attention andenvy. At the same time, models have a spill-over influence as the standard of beauty. Because of this effect, cosmetics companies present attractive and beautiful models who can psychologically stimulate women consumers in their cosmetics advertisements.
As a result, the selection of models has become one of the most important factors in strategies for cosmetics advertisements, and big star models can usually command a high talent fee. The reason companies put so much effort into casting advertisement models is that advertisement models play an important role in improving their product’s brand image and the cosmetics industry intends to stimulate the emotions of women. Companies are motivated not only to build positive brand images by providing information about the brand through advertisement models, but also to improve brand awareness and preference by attracting consumers’ attention to their product, thereby inducing actual purchases.
Therefore, in order to develop an effective brand marketing strategy by using advertisement model and apply such strategy, it is necessary to analyze and study the correlation between the characteristics of models featured in advertisements and brand awareness and consumers’intention to purchase.
Nevertheless, there have been no rigorous studies conducted on the correlation between characteristics of models in cosmetics advertisements on brand awareness and the intention to purchase, although early studies focused on the role of advertisement models in various fields, which include cosmetics.
Therefore, this study investigates the effect of characteristics of models in cosmetics advertisements on brand awareness, preference of adult women consumers, and image formation, and consequently analyzes consumers’ intention to purchase, which is the ultimate purpose of the advertisement. Thereby, this study aims at providing preliminary data that can serve as the basis for marketing and sales strategies, including scouting advertisement models, which can complement the marketing strategies of the cosmetics industry and contributes to this field.
For the implementation of the study’s purpose, this study selected Hyun-jung Go, the advertisement model for Re:NK. Moreover, we also analyzed results of the survey targeting adult women considered as main consumers in the cosmetics market.
The survey was conducted for three weeks, from Dec. 10, 2011 to Jan. 7, 2012, during which 550 questionnaires had been distributed to women living in Metropolitan areas. Of these, 498 questionnaires were used for empirical analysis by the statistical program, SPSS WINDOWS 12.0.
Multiple regression analysis was conducted to verify the effect and the relationship of an advertisement model’s personal characteristics to brand awareness, preference, images and intention to purchase. In addition, a simple regression analysis was conducted to verify the correlation of brand awareness, preference, and images with consumers’ intention to purchase.
The following is the summary of the study’s results:
First, of the identified personal characteristics of models featured in cosmetics advertisements, the traits of reliability, favorable impression, similarity, suitability and familiarity were found to have a positive effect on brand awareness, at a 95% confidence level.
Second, similarity and suitability of advertisement models have a positive effect on brand preference, at a 99% confidence level.
Third, the advertisement model’s traits of reliability, suitability, professionalism and favorable impression were found to have a significant positive effect on brand image, at a 95% confidence level.
Fourth, reliability, similarity, suitability, and favorable impression were also found to have significant positive effects on consumers’ intention to purchase, at more than a 95% confidence level. On the other hand, visibility has a significant negative effect on intention to purchase, at a 99% confidence level.
Fifth, brand awareness, preference, and image have significant positive effects on consumers’intention to purchase, at a 99.9 % confidence level, which means that improving brand awareness, preference, and image through the use of the appropriate advertisement model raises consumers’ intention to purchase.
The following are the implications obtained based on the results of the research:
Casting models based only on their fame and attractiveness and who are not suitable for the brand image and demand an expensive modeling fee is not an effective or fruitful marketing strategy. In addition, when building brand awareness, preference, and images and stimulating consumers’intention to purchase through advertisement models, it is effective to cast models and use them for marketing after analyzing and aggregating their desirable characteristics. Furthermore, in order to enhance the intention to purchase and connect this with the actual purchase, it is important not only to directly promote the actual purchase of cosmetics using models, but also to improve the favorable impression of the brand by building positive brand awareness, preference, and images targeting cosmetics consumers.