| Abstract [eng] |
The digital transformation that began in the late 20th century has changed the way information is transmitted – visual communication has become one of the primary forms of modern communication. This shift has increased the importance of visual content in marketing and encourages consumers to interpret presented information more attentively. Existing research indicates that visual literacy enables more effective understanding, evaluation and interpretation of visual communication. However, little attention has been paid to its impact on consumer responses to advertising and the advertised brand. Therefore, it is important to examine the role that visual literacy plays in shaping consumer behavior within the context of advertising and brand. Based on this, the central research question of this master’s final degree project is: how does visual literacy influence consumer response to advertising and the advertised brand, as reflected in information perception, engagement with the advertisement, trust in the advertisement content, trust in the brand, and brand choice? The aim of the project is to theoretically and empirically substantiate the impact of visual literacy on consumer responses to advertising and advertised brand. Main project results. To achieve the aim of the project, five objectives were outlined, the implementation of which is supported by the research findings. The literature review revealed that visual literacy is an interdisciplinary construct, defined as the ability to interpret and critically evaluate visual information. The theoretical analysis enabled the identification of five forms of consumer response to advertising and advertised brand: information perception, engagement, trust in advertising content, trust in the brand and brand choice. These forms of consumer response, linked to the construct of visual literacy, served as the foundation for the conceptual model. A mixed-methods approach was applied to analyze the model: interviews were conducted with 10 advertising experts, and a survey was carried out with 255 respondents. The qualitative research results helped define the context for the quantitative study – the analysis of “Burga” brand advertisements on the Instagram platform. Quantitative data confirmed the structure of the conceptual model and the descriptive analysis showed that respondents tended to evaluate their visual literacy positively, as reflected through their competencies and level of skepticism. Respondents who had a personal connection with the “Burga” brand or had seen its advertisements more frequently on Instagram rated their visual literacy skills and the analyzed advertisement more positively. Regression analysis revealed a positive impact of visual literacy on information perception, behavior-based engagement with the advertisement, trust in advertising content, perceived usefulness of the advertisement, and brand choice. However, no significant effect was found on psychological engagement, perceived advertising credibility, or trust in the brand. |
