Sex Sells, But to Whom? Cultural and Gender Influences of Sexual Appeal Levels on Ad Attitude on Women

This study examines how the degree of sexual appeal, the gender of the model, and nationality influence women's attitudes toward advertisements (Aad) in two culturally distinct countries: Bulgaria and the Netherlands. A 2 (low vs. high sexual appeal) × 2 (male vs. female model) × 2 (nationality) between-subject experimental design was employed, with individualism/collectivism as a covariate. A total of 261 valid responses were collected. The results showed that a lower degree of sexual appeal generated more positive Aad, particularly among Dutch participants, supporting prior findings that less explicit sexual content is more effective. While nationality significantly influenced Aad, the expected cultural differences did not fully align with hypotheses, and model gender had no statistically significant main effect. These findings highlight the importance of cultural sensitivity and moderation in using sexual appeal in advertising targeting women. The study adds to the literature on cross- cultural advertising and offers practical implications for marketers seeking culturally appropriate and ethical campaigns.