Abstract
This thesis examines consumer responses to stereotyped and non-stereotyped portrayals in advertising. More specifically, it investigates the impact of stereotyped versus non-stereotyped portrayals in terms of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on social effects, such as social connectedness and empathy, and brand-related effects, such as ad attitudes, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions. While most advertising portrayals are to some extent stereotyped, non-stereotyped portrayals have grown in popularity in the past decade. Still, advertising research has rarely compared the effects of these different portrayals. The studies that have typically focus on social effects or brand-related effects, and do not study them simultaneously. This dissertation thus contributes to the advertising literature by comparing effects of stereotyped and non-stereotyped portrayals, and by connecting social effects to brand-related effects.The thesis presents empirical findings from five articles featuring a total of twelve experimental studies. The results indicate that non-stereotyped advertising portrayals of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation can lead to improved social as well as brand-related effects. They further suggest that social effects may influence brand-related effects. The social and brand-related effects are affected by consumer attitudes toward the stereotyped or non-stereotyped social category, and by the cultural context of the portrayal. The findings indicate that advertisers have much to gain from adapting a more mindful approach to the portrayals featured in advertising.