Effects of congruence of product, visual image, and consumer self-image on art infusion advertising

Although previous researchers have reported that use of visual art in advertising induces more positive responses in consumers than does no art, which variables are important in inducing these responses has been largely unexamined. We investigated the moderating effects on advertising of the congruence between product and visual image, and also the congruence between visual image and self-image. The sample consisted of 228 university students in Korea and the results showed that the students experienced stronger purchase intention when exposed to art infusion advertising with high levels of advertisement–product congruence and advertisement–self-image congruence than they did when the levels of congruence were low. Further, we found that positive emotion mediated the effects of art infusion advertising on attitude toward advertising only for a hedonic product, and that consumer response to art infusion advertising differed according to product type.