Skinny models DON'T sell products and neither do celebrities, new study reveals (2024)

• Close-up shots of models actively repel female shoppers who become 'defensive'
  
• Beautiful women and celebrities can help boost sales but only when used subtly
• Researchers at the University of Warwick say the study could have serious implications for ad men

By Ruth Styles

Published: 07:56 EST, 26 February 2013 | Updated: 07:59 EST, 26 February 2013

Advertisers have long argued that so-called aspirational slim girls sell more products than their curvier counterparts, but a new study has revealed that in actual fact they do the opposite.

Researchers from Warwick Business School found that women are turned off by products placed next to large scale or close-up images of female models and celebrities such as Miranda Kerr or Irina Shayk.

According to Dr Tamara Ansons, one of the researchers, this is because a pretty model triggers a coping mechanism in women - scorn - which helps them feel better about their own looks.

But it's not all bad news for Kerr and Co, with Ansons keen to point out that while prominently placed models deter female shoppers, subtle images can help boost spending.

In a nutshell, if advertisers use large close-ups, women loathe it, but if they place the model in a less prominent position, female shoppers respond well.

'To successfully use idealised images in marketing communications, they should be presented subtly,' said Dr Ansons.

'We found that the way the picture of the perfectly shaped model was used was very important in determining a positive or negative effect on women’s self-perception.

'When exposure to these images of beautiful models is subtle, a subconscious automatic process of upward social comparison takes place leading to a negative self-perception. But that led to a more positive attitude towards the brand.

'Yet when the exposure to the idealised image of a woman is blatant, a conscious process is activated and consumers employ defensive coping strategies.

'For instance, they belittle the model or celebrity to restore a positive perception of themselves. So the product in the advert becomes associated with negative reactions.'

Participants in the study were shown magazine pages that contained different adverts, one of which was for a vodka.

Some women received adverts that did not feature an attractive model, other women received adverts that had a bikini-clad model on the opposite page to a picture of the vodka, subtly exposing them to the idealised female image, while the third group were shown images of the model next to the vodka.

Dr Ansons said: 'Attractive female models and celebrities are routinely used in advertisem*nts and yet previous research has shown mixed reactions, some have found the effect to be positive, while others have found it to be negative.

'We wanted to find out why this was. We found that a woman’s self-perception and consequent effects on product evaluation depend on the degree of attention paid to the idealised image of a woman in advertisem*nts.'

The study, first published in a paper entitled Defensive Reactions To Slim Female Images In Advertising: The Moderating Role Of Mode Of Exposure could have far reaching implications for advertisers.

'It is important to understand when we might expect positive effects by using idealised body images in marketing on customers’ self-perception and how that influences purchase decisions,' said Dr Ansons.

'We showed that when consumers are blatantly exposed to idealised images of thin and beautiful women they are more likely to use a defensive coping strategy to boost self-evaluation by denigrating the pictured woman.

'This can negatively affect the products these models endorse through the transfer of the negative evaluation of the model to the endorsed product.

'However when subtly exposed to these perfectly shaped models consumers do not engage in defensive coping by disparaging the model.

'Instead it leads to negative self-evaluation but does not interfere with their evaluation of the pictured model. Thus, the generally positive evaluation of the model leads to a favourable reaction to the product she is endorsing.'