Quality perception through advertisements : A study of anti-age moisturizers

(1)

Authors: Gloria Dezert

Emelie Erdeljac Katarzyna Walkowicz

Tutor: Dijana Rubil

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1 Introduction... 1

1.1 Background ... 1

1.1.1 Cosmetics and quality ... 2

1.1.2 Quality perception... 3 1.2 Problem ... 3 1.3 Purpose ... 4 1.3.1 Perspective ... 4 1.4 Delimitations ... 5 1.5 Definitions ... 5 1.6 Structure of thesis... 6

2 Theoretical Framework ... 8

2.1 Quality Perception ... 8 2.1.1 Perceptual process ... 9

2.1.2 Advertising and quality perception ... 9

2.1.3 Influences in the quality perception ... 11

2.1.4 Cultural and social influences in the quality perception ... 11

2.1.5 Price, brand name and store name as relevant information to evaluate quality ... 12

2.1.6 When some quality attributes are missing ... 13

2.2 Advertising ... 13

2.2.1 Advertising and the marketing-mix ... 13

2.2.2 Advertising and brand strategy ... 14

2.2.3 Printed advertising ... 15

2.2.4 Advertisements design ... 15

2.3 The role of symbolism ... 16

2.3.1 Semiotics ... 16

2.3.2 Colours ... 17

2.3.3 Human representation ... 18

2.3.4 Common elements in advertisements ... 19

2.4 Summary of theories ... 20

3 Methodology ... 21

3.1 Research Approach ... 21

3.2 Qualitative data analysis versus quantitative data analysis ... 23

3.3 Collecting the data ... 23

3.4 Sampling ... 24

3.4.1 Selecting the target group ... 24

3.5 Content analysis ... 25

3.5.1 Content analysis and visual content analysis ... 25

3.5.2 Pilot study in form of a content analysis ... 25

3.5.3 Sampling for content analysis ... 26

3.5.4 Implementation of visual content analysis ... 28

3.5.5 Disadvantages of content analysis ... 30

3.5.6 SPSS data analysis ... 30

3.6 Interviews ... 31

(6)

3.6.2 Selection of advertisements for interviews ... 34

3.6.3 Sampling for interviews ... 36

3.6.4 Pilot study in form of a semi-structured interview ... 36

3.6.5 Implementation of interviews ... 37

3.7 Validity ... 38

3.8 Reliability ... 39

3.9 Trustworthiness and dependability ... 40

3.10 Generalizability ... 40

3.11 Limitations ... 41

3.12 Analysing the data ... 42

3.12.1 Method for analysis ... 42

4 Empirical findings ... 44

4.1 Content analysis ... 44

4.1.1 Considerations of empirical findings ... 44

4.1.2 Product attributes ... 45

4.1.3 Models and celebrities in advertisements ... 47

4.1.4 Colours ... 48

4.1.5 Layout ... 49

4.2 Empirical findings of interviews... 50

4.2.2 Models and celebrities in advertisements ... 52

4.2.3 Colours ... 52

4.2.4 Content of the advertisements ... 53

4.2.5 Evaluation of the quality of the advertisements ... 54

4.2.6 What the participants would change in the ads ... 56

5 Analysis ... 59

5.1 Common features in printed advertisements ... 59

5.1.2 Models and celebrities ... 60

5.1.3 Colours ... 61

5.1.4 Layout ... 62

5.2 Quality categories in printed advertisements ... 63

5.2.1 Credibility ... 63

5.2.2 Emotions ... 65

5.2.3 Exclusivity ... 66

5.2.4 Balance ... 66

5.3 Implementation of the quality categories in advertisements ... 67

5.3.1 The relationship between the categories ... 67

5.3.2 Illustration of implementation ... 68

6 Conclusion ... 70

7 Discussion ... 71

7.1 Critique of the study... 71

7.2 Suggestions for further research ... 72

References ... 74

(7)

Appendix B ... 81

Appendix C ... 82

Appendix D ... 84

Appendix E ... 86

Appendix F ... 87

Appendix G ... 88

Appendix H ... 89

Figure 1 Cosmetic Industry structure, Kumar, 2005 ... 2

Figure 2 Structure of thesis ... 7

Figure 3 Structure of theoretical framework ... 8

Figure 4 Research approach structure ... 22

Figure 5 Table of magazines ... 27

Figure 6 Sampling of content analysis ... 28

Figure 7 Selected advertisements ... 35

Figure 8 Sampling of interviews ... 36

Figure 9 Structure of analysis... 43

Figure 10 Total percentage of brands in the advertisements ... 44

Figure 11 Total number of products present in the advertisement ... 45

Figure 12 Presence of packaging in the advertisement ... 46

Figure 13 Presence of straight-forward stated anti-age ingredients ... 46

Figure 14 Presence of model in the advertisement ... 47

Figure 15 Presence of celebrity in the advertisement ... 47

Figure 16 Perceived age of celebrity/model in the advertisement ... 48

Figure 17 Leading colours in the advertisement... 48

Figure 18 Focus on product(s) in the advertisement ... 49

Figure 19 Presence of slogan in the advertisement ... 49

Figure 20 Presence of metaphor in the advertisement ... 50

Figure 21 Main argument of the advertisement ... 50

Figure 22 Ranking per advertisement ... 54

(8)

(9)

(10)

1.1.2

(11)

1.3

   1.3.1

(12)

1.4

(13)

(14)

(15)

(16)

2.1.1

  

(17)

(18)

2.1.3

(19)

(20)

2.1.6

2.2

2.2.1    

(21)

2.2.2      

(22)

2.2.3

(23)

2.3

2.3.1

  

(24)

(25)

(26)

(27)

(28)

(29)

(30)

3.2

(31)

3.4

3.4.1

 

(32)

3.5

3.5.1       3.5.2

(33)

(34)

(35)

(36)

(37)

3.5.5

(38)

(39)

(40)

(41)

(42)

(43)

3.6.3

(44)

(45)

(46)

(47)

3.9

(48)

(49)

3.12

(50)

(51)

4.1

(52)

(53)

(54)

(55)

(56)

(57)

(58)

(59)

4.2.2

(60)

(61)

4.2.5 0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5

Natuvive Olay Clinique Nivea

Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Rank 4

(62)

(63)

(64)

(65)

(66)

5.1

(67)

(68)

(69)

(70)

5.2

(71)

(72)

(73)

5.2.3

(74)

5.3

(75)

(76)

Exclusivity Emotions Credibility             

(77)

(78)

(79)

(80)

(81)

(82)

(83)

(84)

(85)

(86)

(87)

(88)

(89)

(90)

(91)

  o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

(92)

(93)

(94)

(95)

(96)