The Effect of Endorser Physical Attractiveness and Endorser-Product Congruence on the Persuasiveness of an Advertisement

The present research proposes that the attractiveness of an advertisement endorser can affect the viewer\u27s overall rating of the advertisement as well as his or her ability to be persuaded by it. The present research also suggests that endorser-product congruence can impact persuasiveness ratings as well as overall ad ratings. In the experiment itself, participants were asked to read two types of advertisements and fill out two questionnaires. Consistent with previous research, results showed that the skin care advertisement was rated significantly more persuasive and had a higher overall rating when paired with an attractive endorser than an unattractive one. Congruent with prior research, the skin care advertisement with the attractive endorsers was rated significantly higher than the ad with unattractive endorsers