In the eyes of the beholder: The relevance of skin tone and facial features of African American female models to advertising effectiveness

Abstract

The increasing use of light‐complexioned black models with Caucasian features in ads has been roundly criticized. This study was designed to test if black female models with Caucasian features are more effective in ads than black models with “classical” features. A 2×2 factorial design was used with two models (mixed‐race and “classical” black) and two products (beauty‐related and beauty‐unrelated). MANOVA tests showed that regardless of the type of product, the type of model did not make a significant difference on the measures of advertising effectiveness. Neither were the interaction effects significant.