Overview

1. Anthropomorphism and Beyond! Conventional and Innovative Approaches to Anthropomorphic Advertising and Subsequent Effects on Global Society Joshua Shaffer Business Administration: Marketing College of Business Administration Savannah State University e-mail: jshaffe1@student.savannahstate.edu

2. Overview • Motivation for research • Purpose of research/focus questions • Conventional & Innovative Anthropomorphism • Literature review • Research methodology • Conceptual frameworks • Data analysis • Discussions • Conclusions/Future Research • Questions

3. Motivation for Research • Anthropomorphism is an interpretation of what is not human in terms of human or personal characteristics. • Anthropomorphic Advertising has been a prevalent concept in advertising campaigns for many years now. • Anthropomorphic Advertising is inexpensive, yet effective. • Anthropomorphic Advertising encompasses more than just “typical” ads featuring cartoon characters. New Anthropomorphic ad campaigns are clever and creative.

4. Anthropomorphic Advertising Aflac duck introduces brand Pigeon represents competitor Frogs start rapping Human interaction with Aflac duck Duck hands over money Animals close commercial together

5. Research Purpose & Objectives • This research focuses on the effects of anthropomorphism in advertising. This paper investigates the following questions: • What factors encourage or create anthropomorphism in consumers? • What effects do anthropomorphic advertising and anthropomorphic feelings created by advertising have on consumers? • How does anthropomorphic advertising affect the global society?

6. Conventional Anthropomorphic Advertising Conventional Anthropomorphic Advertising • All advertisements which fit the standard definition for anthropomorphic advertising. • Type of advertising that most people would recognize readily and clearly. • Examples include M & M’s spokescharacters, Geico Gecko • Existent in literature

7. Conventional Anthropomorphism Female M&M talking to humans at party Explaining that she is not actually naked Showing emotion towards human men Closes commercial with reinforcing tagline Enter male M&M’s character Strips “candy shell” and dances to background music

8. Conventional Anthropomorphic Advertising Relationship-Strength Cause-Related Client: Tide Agency: Miami Ad School, San Francisco Client: Kairos Kid & Family Aid Agency: Maruri Publicidad, Ecuador

9. Innovative Anthropomorphic Advertising Innovative Anthropomorphic Advertising • Research contribution • A new way to create anthropomorphic feelings in consumers. • Utilized in ads which do not feature anthropomorphism inside the ad, but are aimed at creating anthropomorphic feelings as a result. • Often display inanimate objects in the ad, but the anthropomorphic feelings are as a result of either words on the ad or the emotional connection created with the consumer.

10. Innovative Anthropomorphism India Netherlands

11. Innovative Anthropomorphic Print Ads Germany Norway Client: IBM Agency: Ogilvy, France

12. Brand Personality • Personification & Brand Personality • Personification is the most visible vehicle in creating anthropomorphic feelings. • Personification is considered a “message characteristic,” while anthropomorphism is an “audience characteristic.” (Delbaere, McQuarrie & Phillips, 2011) • Brand personality is the way a brand speaks and behaves • Brand personality means assigning human personality traits and characteristics to a brand, in order to achieve differentiation (Aaker, 1997)

13. Brand Personality Client: KayaKing Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Indonesia Client: British Columbia AMA Agency: Grey Canada, Vancouver, Canada

14. Constructs used in Literature • Attitude Toward the Advertisement • Subjects' evaluations of the overall advertising stimulus (Mitchell and Olson 1981) • Ad believability • The strength with which a consumer associates a brand with a certain attribute or outcome (Yoo and MacInnis, 2005) • For example, how strongly they believe that a product has a whitening ingredient or that it makes teeth 50% whiter than regular toothpaste brands • Ad irritation • A prevalent response to disliked commercials (Fennis and Bakker, 2001) • Brand Personality • Refers to the set of human characteristics associated with a brand (Aaker, 1997) • Just like human personality

15. Conceptual FrameworkANTHROPOMORPHISM MODEL Ad Believability Attitude Towards Ad (Aad) Ad Irritation H1: Aad is dependent on Ad Believability & Ad Irritation

16. Conceptual FrameworkANTHROPOMORPHISM MODEL Ad Believability Brand Personality Ad Irritation H1: Brand Personality is dependent on Ad Believability & Ad Irritation

17. Research Methodology Five Relevant Advertising Websites like Ads of the World, Coloribus, etc.

18. Measures • Attitude toward the ad (Mitchell and Olson 1981; seven-point semantic differential scales): • Bad—Good • Unpleasant—Pleasant • Unfavorable—Favorable • Negative—Positive • Ad believability (Bhat, Leigh, and Wardlow 1998; seven-point semantic differential scales): • Convincing—Unconvincing (reverse) • Not credible—Credible • Unacceptable—Acceptable • Untruthful—Truthful • Believable—Unbelievable (reverse) • Ad irritation (Bhat, Leigh, and Wardlow 1998; seven-point semantic differential scales): • Unannoying—Annoying • Unirritating—Irritating • Undisturbing—Disturbing • Brand Personality (Aaker, 1997; five-point semantic differential scales) • Charming • Cheerful • Daring • Down-To-Earth • Friendly • Glamorous • Honest • Imaginative • Intelligent • Nice • Outdoorsy • Reliable • Sensual • Sophisticated • Spirited • Stylish • Successful • Tough • Additional • Trendy • Upper-Class • Up-To-Date • Warm • Wholesome

19. Conventional Anthropomorphic Ad Client: Mars Candy Agency: BBDO, New York

20. Ad #1Conventional – Male vs. Female

21. Data Analysis – Results (Conventional)

22. Data Analysis – Results (Conventional)

23. Innovative Anthropomorphic Ad Client: Harley Davidson Agency: Carmichael Lynch

24. Ad #2 Innovative – Males vs. Females

25. Innovative Anthropomorphic Ad Client: Mercedes Benz Agency: BBDO Germany

26. Ad #3 – Innovative – Male vs. Female

27. Innovative Anthropomorphic Ad Client: Audi Agency: Venables, Bell & Partners

28. Ad #4 - Innovative – Male vs. Female

29. Data Analysis – Results (Innovative)

30. Data Analysis – Results (Innovative)

31. Discussions & Managerial Implications • Anthropomorphic advertising will continue to prevail as an important marketing tool. • The research introduces a new advertising approach to be used by marketers and advertisers – Innovative Anthropomorphic Advertising. • Anthropomorphic advertising is already having a profound effect on global society due to apparent differences in the usage and applications of conventional and innovative anthropomorphic advertising across cultures. • Major Contribution - With the advancement of technology, innovative anthropomorphic advertising will likely become more prevalent in its uses. Since this new form focuses on feelings rather than living creatures, its deemed to be less expensive and fit for use by small businesses and advertisers.

32. Conclusion & Future Research • The research introduces a new advertising approach / appeal to be investigated by academics and practitioners – Innovative Anthropomorphic Advertising • Research is exploratory and preliminary • Females typically preferred anthropomorphic ads vs. males • Global trends – Innovative (Europe & Asia), and Conventional (Western) • Initial research suggested that conventional anthropomorphism was more effective • My results show nearly equivalent relevance for both conventional and innovative • Innovative anthropomorphic advertising is a future research area of inquiry for advertisers to explore inexpensive methods of advertising by focusing more on feelings

33. QUESTIONS ? Anthropomorphism and Beyond! Conventional and Innovative Approaches to Anthropomorphic Advertising and Subsequent Effects on Society Joshua Shaffer Business Administration: Marketing College of Business Administration Savannah State University e-mail: jshaffe1@student.savannahstate.edu