Persuading the Kenyan youth; an analysis of the use of sex appeal on billboards in Nairobi
Abstract
With increasing focus by the Kenyan government on media content with the intention of barring subversive culture from mainstream media and advertising, this study set out to investigate the use of sex appeal in billboard advertising in Nairobi. It focused on consumers' ethical judgment towards the Ad, attitude towards the brand and purchase intentions. The results show that sexual appeal was evaluated as the most frequently used appeal on billboards in Nairobi.
From the findings of this study, respondents, regardless of their gender, did not positively receive the use of strong overt sexual appeal in Ads and had less favourable attitude towards the Ad itself. However, most respondents agreed that Ads with overt sexual themes were more noticeable and easier to remember than Ads with milder or no sexual appeal. This study however did not find a significant correlation between the degree of sexual content in an advertisement and brand attitude.
Publisher
University of Nairobi, Kenya