Which model looks most like me? Explicating the impact of body image advertisements on female consumer well-being and consumption behaviour across brand categories

Should brands continue to espouse the traditional thin female models in advertisements or follow the trend towards using larger-sized models? Although the effects of model body size in advertising has been investigated in literature, much inconclusive evidence remains. This study re-examines this important topic from the perspectives of social comparison and self-congruity and investigates the impact of different model body sizes on consumer well-being measures and advertising effectiveness, specifically examining a salient mediating mechanism and boundary conditions to the effect. Across two studies using different brand categories (fast fashion and luxury), we find that, women generally assimilate to an average-sized model over a thin-sized or plus-sized model in advertising. This, however, did not affect their subsequent body satisfaction. Moreover, women’s body mass index (BMI) moderated the mediating relationship between model size and purchase intentions via perceived similarity to the model. These findings implicate more support for realistic model portrayals in advertising.