Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Understanding Advertising This thesis examines consumer responses to stereotyped and non- Stereotypes stereo typed portrayals in advertising. More specifically, it investigates the impact of stereotyped versus non-stereotyped portrayals in terms Social and Brand-Related Effects of Stereotyped of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on social effects, such as versus Non-Stereotyped Portrayals in Advertising social connectedness and empathy, and brand-related effects, such as ad attitudes, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions. While most ad- vertising portrayals are to some extent stereotyped, non-stereotyped Nina Åkestam portrayals have grown in popularity in the past decade. Still, advertising research has rarely compared the effects of these different portrayals. The studies that have typically focus on social effects or brand-related effects, and do not study them simultaneously. This dissertation thus contributes to the advertising literature by comparing effects of stereo- typed and non-stereotyped portrayals, and by connecting social effects to brand-related effects. The thesis presents empirical findings from five articles featuring a total of twelve experimental studies. The results indicate that non-stereo- typed advertising portrayals of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation can lead to improved social as well as brand-related effects. They further suggest that social effects may influence brand-related effects. The social and brand-related effects are affected by consumer attitudes toward the stereotyped or non-stereotyped social category, and by the cultural context of the portrayal. The findings indicate that advertisers have much to gain from adapting a more mindful approach to the portrayals featured in advertising. Nina Åkestam is a researcher at the Center for Consumer Marketing at Stockholm School of Economics. Nina Åkestam • 2017 ISBN 978-91-7731-070-9 Doctoral Dissertation in Business Administration Stockholm School of Economics Sweden, 2017 Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Understanding Advertising This thesis examines consumer responses to stereotyped and non- Stereotypes stereo typed portrayals in advertising. More specifically, it investigates the impact of stereotyped versus non-stereotyped portrayals in terms Social and Brand-Related Effects of Stereotyped of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on social effects, such as versus Non-Stereotyped Portrayals in Advertising social connectedness and empathy, and brand-related effects, such as ad attitudes, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions. While most ad- vertising portrayals are to some extent stereotyped, non-stereotyped Nina Åkestam portrayals have grown in popularity in the past decade. Still, advertising research has rarely compared the effects of these different portrayals. The studies that have typically focus on social effects or brand-related effects, and do not study them simultaneously. This dissertation thus contributes to the advertising literature by comparing effects of stereo- typed and non-stereotyped portrayals, and by connecting social effects to brand-related effects. The thesis presents empirical findings from five articles featuring a total of twelve experimental studies. The results indicate that non-stereo- typed advertising portrayals of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation can lead to improved social as well as brand-related effects. They further suggest that social effects may influence brand-related effects. The social and brand-related effects are affected by consumer attitudes toward the stereotyped or non-stereotyped social category, and by the cultural context of the portrayal. The findings indicate that advertisers have much to gain from adapting a more mindful approach to the portrayals featured in advertising. Nina Åkestam is a researcher at the Center for Consumer Marketing at Stockholm School of Economics. Nina Åkestam • 2017 ISBN 978-91-7731-070-9 Doctoral Dissertation in Business Administration Stockholm School of Economics Sweden, 2017 Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Social and Brand-Related Effects of Stereotyped versus Non-Stereotyped Portrayals in Advertising Nina Åkestam Akademisk avhandling som för avläggande av ekonomie doktorsexamen vid Handelshögskolan i Stockholm framläggs för offentlig granskning tisdagen den19 december 2017, kl 13.15, sal KAW, Handelshögskolan, Sveavägen 65, Stockholm Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Social and brand-related effects of stereotyped versus non-stereotyped portrayals in advertising Understanding Advertising Stereotypes Social and brand-related effects of stereotyped versus non-stereotyped portrayals in advertising Nina Åkestam ii Dissertation for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D., in Business Administration Stockholm School of Economics, 2017 Understanding advertising stereotypes: Social and brand-related effects of stereotyped versus non-stereotyped portrayals in advertising © SSE and the author, 2017 ISBN 978-91-7731-070-9 (printed) ISBN 978-91-7731-071-6 (pdf) Front cover illustration: © SunCity/Shutterstock.com, 2017 Back cover photo: Simon Krona, 2017 Printed by: BrandFactory, Gothenburg, 2017 Keywords: Advertising stereotypes, gender stereotypes, ethnicity stereotypes, homo- sexuality, social effects of advertising, advertising effectiveness To Anton and Gil Foreword This volume is the result of a research project carried out at the Depart- ment of Marketing and Strategy at the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). This volume is submitted as a doctoral thesis at SSE. In keeping with the policies of SSE, the author has been entirely free to conduct and pre- sent her research in the manner of her choosing as an expression of her own ideas. SSE is grateful for the financial support provided by Torsten Söder- bergs Stiftelse, which has made it possible to carry out the project. Göran Lindqvist Richard Wahlund Director of Research Professor and Head of the Stockholm School of Economics Department of Marketing and Strategy Acknowledgements When I started my Ph.D. studies, I heard the phrase “stand on the shoulder of giants” for the first time. I didn’t really get what it meant (neither did I get the difference between mediation and moderation), but nodded in under- standing and went off to secretly google it (as I did with mediation and mod- eration). The meaning turned out to be that scientific work builds on all the work that has been done before it. That is, of course, true of this dissertation as well. But in order to complete it, there are a few particularly strong, smart, and kind giants who have offered me their shoulders, and without whose help I never would have reached my goal. So, a few acknowledgements are in place. First, I would like to thank Torsten Söderbergs Stiftelse, for funding this research and the last two years of my doctoral studies. To Micael Dahlen. You have been an inspiration to me since I first saw you teach in 2002, and you have influenced most of my professional life. Most importantly, you brought me back to academia after many years astray, and generously shared your immense scientific knowledge and your best research hacks. You are such an important mind of our time, and working with you is an honour. To Sara Rosengren. You are a true intellectual and an incredibly dedi- cated scholar. You have opened so many doors, and shown me how to save the world using dry academic language. When I was a bachelor student, you were the first researcher I ever saw that looked like me. You showed me, and so many others, through grit and pure talent, that being a young woman in academia may not be easy, but it’s possible. To Lin Lerpold. You have been so generous with your time and knowledge, both academic and personal. Your insightful perspectives on viii UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISING STEREOTYPES the thesis process in general, and this manuscript in particular, have been incredibly helpful. To Richard Wahlund and Magnus Söderlund. You are inspirational scholars, and your support in the dissertation process—official, practical, and emotional—has been invaluable. A special thanks to Emilia Rovira, for help- ing to craft the final version of this manuscript. To my colleagues at the Center for Consumer Marketing: Per-Jonas Eliaeson, Claes-Robert Julander, Hanna Berg, Jonas Colliander, John Karsberg, Karina Liljedal, Erik Modig, Sofie Sagfossen, Stefan Szugalski and Martin Söndergaard. Getting a share of your brilliant minds every day is a privilege. To Stockholm School of Economics. Studying and working in this en- vironment is so rewarding. A special thanks to Lars Strannegård and Karol Vieker, for working every day to make this place the best version of itself. And, of course, to my students, past and present, for being the reason we’re all here. To my family: Mom and Dad, for literally making me who I am. If an advertising creative and a scholar have a baby, what could it be but an ad- vertising scholar? Kalle and Fanny, for always supporting me. Anton, for believing in me, making me better, and for pulling about three times your weight in terms of household work while I was writing. Behind every doc- toral dissertation stands a spouse with fifty-five VAB days in the last few months. To Gil, for making it all worth it. I love you all very much. Stockholm, November 1, 2017 Nina Åkestam Contents CHAPTER 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................