The Influence of Idealised and Non-idealised Models on the Effectiveness of Advertisements and Body Appreciation in Females

Adrian Furnham ^1* alistaire McClelland ² Georgia Wallhead ²

• ¹ BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway
• ² University College London, London, England, United Kingdom

This study explored the effects of using different sized models in social media advertising on advertisement effectiveness and perceived body image. In all, 235 young female participants viewed advertisements containing either idealised (thin) models or non-idealised (plus-sized) models embedded within a simulated Instagram feed. Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) scores were taken pre-exposure and post-exposure to the advertisements. Advertisement effectiveness was measured via brand attitude and memorability of advertising information (free recall and recognition). Participants exposed to non-idealised models demonstrated a significant increase in BAS scores, whereas there was no effect for idealised models. There was a significant main effect of model type on brand attitude and free recall: non-idealised models elicited more positive brand attitudes and higher recall of brands/products compared to idealised models, but no significant effects were found for brand recognition. There was a significant positive relationship between their pre-exposure BAS scores and brand attitude scores. Limitations and implications are discussed.