An examination of the role of gender in athlete endorsement effectiveness

Abstract

Many companies use athletes to endorse their products and services in advertisements. This is because the model used in advertisement can influence consumer behaviour. However, given the gendered nature of sports, it is unclear whether the gender of the model affects the effectiveness of the advertisements. 63 respondents were recruited to view an advertisement featuring either a male or female athlete. Independent t-tests showed that there was no significant difference in the perception of quality (t(61)=1.61, p>.10) and purchase intention (t(61)=1.27, p>.10) between the two groups. Further analysis showed that while the male athlete captured more attention and encourage consumers to take a closer look at the advertisement and the advertised brand, it did not lead to a more positive evaluation of the advertised product. The study concludes that the process from visual attention to behavioural intention can be complex and require further study.