Consumer location and ad type preferences as predictors of attitude toward femvertising

Purpose: This purpose of this study was to investigate how consumers’ degree of rurality and preference for specific ad types are associated with their attitude toward femvertising (pro-female advertising). Design/methodology/approach: An online survey of US-based respondents over 18 years of age was administered by Qualtrics Panels from February 7 to February 15, 2018. The final sample included 418 respondents. Findings: The more urban the respondents’ location was, the more educated they were, leading to more support for gender equality but not a more positive attitude to femvertising. Liking of ads described as “funny,” “with a message” and “emotional” was associated with a more positive attitude toward femvertising. Research limitations/implications: The findings were limited by the use of a convenience sample and the limited variance in participants’ rurality owing to the prevalence of respondents based in or near metropolitan areas. Future research should seek to understand how, if at all, femvertising has affected rather than only reflected social change across a variety of cultural settings. Practical implications: Marketers can expect femvertising appeals to be relatively effective across the rural–urban divide. Femvertising campaigns should consider using or continue to use humor, inspiration/moral reasoning, and emotion in their messages. Social implications: The relative lack of controversy surrounding femvertising indicates gender equality may be embraced across social divides, possibly because in the current economic environment, women’s empowerment is linked to monetary gains for both companies and households. Originality/value: As the demand for companies to take a stance regarding socially charged issues increases, there is a critical need to understand the factors that impact consumer demand in the context of pro-female messaging. This study expands the literature on the effects of two such factors – rurality and ad type preferences – on attitudes toward advertising promoting egalitarian values. No previous research has investigated the role of these variables in cause-related marketing.