Is beauty best? Highly versus normally attractive models in advertising

Several studies investigating the positive effects of including highly attractive models (HAMs) in advertising have failed to unilaterally support their use. This paper explores the differential effects of pairing highly versus normally attractive models with different types of attractiveness-relevant products. Contrary to past research (Kahle and Homer 1985; Kamins 1990), the results suggest that HAMS are not the most effective choice for all categories of attractiveness-relevant products. This research also explores the method by which the match between model attractiveness and product type influences advertising effectiveness. Results suggest that a match between cc model and a product improves ad effectiveness not necessarily through the elicitation of product arguments fi om model appearance, but instead by heightening perceptions of the model's expertise about the product.