Gender differences in information processing strategies of ad: An empirical test of the selectivity hypothesis in advertising response

Gender is frequently used as a segmentation strategy. There is an increased interest among both academicians and practitioners in gender's role on effective advertising strategies for the segmented target markets. How does the information processing from ads differ among males and females, and what is the right strategy for creating an effective advertising campaign considering the gender differences, are crucially important questions to be answered for both academicians and practitioners. It is a universally accepted fact that matching ad format to males' and females' information processing strategies, enhances advertising effectiveness. According to the selectivity hypothesis, except under high involvement conditions, gender differences emerge because males are more likely to be driven by overall message themes or schemas, whereas females are more likely to engage in detailed elaboration of message content. The predictions of the selectivity hypothesis are tested in an experiment to find out how males and females respond to different types of print ads (rational/emotional and metaphoric/nonmetaphoric). The results generally supported the predictions of the selectivity hypothesis with the exception that males did not respond more favorably to the rational appeal. Implications for advertising theory and research are discussed. Keywords: Ad, information processing, gender differences, ad's appeal, metaphor