Citation
(2015), "Executive summary of “Spreading joy: examining the effects of smiling models on consumer joy and attitudes”", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 32 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-09-2015-047
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Executive summary of “Spreading joy: examining the effects of smiling models on consumer joy and attitudes”
Article Type: Executive summary and implications for managers and executives From: Journal of Consumer Marketing, Volume 32, Issue 6
This summary has been provided to allow managers and executives a rapid appreciation of the content of this article. Those with a particular interest in the topic covered may then read the article in toto to take advantage of the more comprehensive description of the research undertaken and its results to get the full benefits of the material present.
Different visual aspects of marketing stimuli are highly important, research has shown. Among these aspects, representations of human beings are among the most widely adopted. Pictures of human models feature in advertisements, on product packaging and within promotion material used in store.
The facial expression of a model is regarded as the aspect most likely to capture the viewer’s attention. Scholars argue that this may be due to the proficiency of human beings to process facial information. Based purely on the expression on someone’s face, humans are able to draw rapid conclusions about the emotional state of the person involved.
This aptitude is supposedly even stronger where smiling facial expressions are concerned. And in addition to the swiftness of processing, it appears that interpretation among observers in generally consistent. Most readily associate a smiling face with joy, whereas other facial expressions seem more prone to be construed in different ways.
Previous work conducted in a customer service context has confirmed that a smiling face can positively impact on consumer satisfaction and attitude towards the product. However, response to depictions of smiling faces in advertising material has received scant research attention to date.
Different theories purport that human emotions are contagious. It is evident that exposure to a picture even of a stranger can elicit emotions comparable with those displayed by the person in the picture. This “emotional contagion” becomes even likelier when the portrayed individual is smiling. Berg et al. therefore expect the sense of joy expressed by the smiling model to be reciprocated by observers.
When consumers process marketing content, they often face restrictions in terms of information detail and time available for the task. According to some scholars, this makes it likely that response to the depicted model will influence how consumers evaluate other objects which are featured in the same advertisement. In the literature, this is termed as an “affect infusion mechanism”.
These issues are investigated within three separate studies conducted by the authors. In the first instance, a photographer was instructed to take pictures of various women exhibiting smiling and non-smiling facial expressions. The women chosen enjoyed a friendly relationship with the photographer, which was deemed important in guaranteeing genuine rather than faked smiles.
For the initial study, two photos of the same model were incorporated into an advertisement for a convenience store chain. The woman was smiling in one of the shots but not in the other. Students participating in the study were randomly exposed to one of the advertisements and asked to complete a questionnaire indicating their mood after viewing the stimuli, thoughts about the featured model and attitude towards the ad.
Analysis revealed that:
joy level was higher among subjects exposed to the ad featuring the smiling model;
attitude towards the advertisement with the smiling model was more positive; and
participant joy mediated the influence of the smiling model on attitude towards the advertisement. This showed that emotional contagion had occurred.
Marketing students were recruited for the second study which examined the impact of facial expressions on product packaging. Two photos of a different female model taken by the same photographer were used and digitally incorporated into a photograph of a juice carton. Participants were again randomly assigned to one version of these photographs.
The questionnaire was similar to that used in the first study but additionally contained a statement measuring “typicality”. Based on available evidence, Berg et al. assume that a smiling face is more typical than other facial expressions. Typicality has been found to aid processing fluency and also inspire “positive affective responses” to marketing stimuli. It is therefore anticipated that the smiling face will be processed more swiftly than the non-smiling face and generate higher levels of consumer joy as a result.
Scrutiny of the data corroborated the findings of the first study and also indicated that:
Subjects regarded the packaging containing the smiling model as being more typical than the one with the non-smiling facial expression.
Typicality served to mediate the impact of the packaging on consumer joy levels.
In the final study, the authors consider the significance of attention. A key finding in prior work is that greater attention is paid to pictorial elements within advertisements than to other elements. Of equal importance is the visual attention afforded to the human face compared to other environmental stimuli. The authors therefore contend that a smiling face should attract even greater levels of interest given its typicality. However, the counter argument is that the incongruent nature of a non-smiling face could make it more conspicuous as a result. But even if this does result in more attention, it is felt that the lower processing fluency could negatively impact on consumer joy and their attitude towards the promoted item.
Subjects from an academic recruitment agency took part in this final study. The juice carton pictures were again used and displayed on a computer screen on this occasion. Respondents were randomly assigned to either the smiling or non-smiling conditions. They were allowed to view their respective picture as long as desired and their eye movements were monitored during the process. This involved recording the number of viewings and total time spent observing different areas of the packaging. The picture of the female model was listed as one of these five areas of interest (AOI).
Contrary to expectation, no significant difference was apparent in the visual attention afforded to the packaging with the smiling model and the one where she is not smiling. This was found in relation to total viewing time for all AOI, total duration of visit for the model AOI, number of visits to the model AOI and share of viewing time for the model AOI. Visual attention was therefore ruled out as a factor in the results obtained in the previous studies.
In the view of Berg et al., the smiling model might be more responsible for positive marketing outcomes than other advertising elements. They additionally note the “unintended effects” of marketing communication and claim that the positivity generated through smiling faces could help to counter, such as, excessive consumption, greed, envy and an array of other unintended negative consequences that frequently arise. However, they do acknowledge the possibility of reactions to a smiling face being almost “automatic” and that “smile appeal” might impede someone’s capacity to make informed choices.
Marketers are urged to use smiling models in their promotional activities. Research indicates that smiling faces are effective because of their seemingly more universal appeal. In contrast, the impact of using physically attractive models is less certain given that attractiveness is subjective. A further problem with the latter is the prospect of harm to self-image and self-esteem.
Future work might examine the impact of different facial expressions. For example, sad faces have been known to positively affect charity donations. Whether the effect noted here extends to different products and industries could also be explored. The authors additionally recommend investigating how smiling faces influence consumer reactions when other marketing objects are prominent. Consideration of smiling male models and different forms of advertisement are other options to consider.
To read the full article enter 10.1108/JCM-03-2015-1356 into your search engine.
(A précis of the article “Spreading joy: examining the effects of smiling models on consumer joy and attitudes”. Supplied by Marketing Consultants for Emerald.)