| Abstract [eng] |
As the digital advertising market continues to grow rapidly, brands increasingly employ controversial aesthetics in order to stand out and attract consumer attention. However, the impact of controversial advertising on consumer responses remains ambiguous in the scientific literature. Some studies emphasize the benefits of controversial advertising, such as increased advertisement visibility, greater consumer attention, and improved memorability (Dahl et al., 2003; Sabri, 2012; Srivastava et al., 2024). In contrast, other studies highlight its negative effects, including feelings of discomfort or shame, outrage, decreased purchase intentions, and negative attitudes toward advertisements and brands (Capella et al., 2010; Li et al., 2025; Achar et al., 2022). Furthermore, the use of subcultural aesthetics in controversial advertising remains insufficiently explored. Although brands increasingly use subcultural elements to attract specific audiences, such symbols may be misinterpreted or rejected by members of the dominant culture (Brumbaugh, 2002). To address these research gaps, this master’s thesis project analyzed consumer responses to controversial subcultural aesthetic advertising through the perspective of perceived contamination. Perceived contamination is defined as a psychological process in which consumers experience a subjective feeling of inner dirtiness or contamination arising from a symbolic connection to taboo, stigmatized, or norm-violating aspects (Krause et al., 2025; Fairbrother & Rachman, 2004). While the experience perceived contamination has been examined in certain areas of psychology (Fairbrother & Rachman, 2004; Krause et al., 2025), this phenomenon remains underexplored in marketing and advertising research. This gap becomes particularly relevant in the context of health product advertising, as health-related behavior is often moralized and associated with personal responsibility, self-control, purity, and avoiding harm to others (Askegaard et al., 2014; Pratt et al., 2025). The study was conducted using a quantitative experimental research design. A one-factor between subjects (1x2) design was applied. Research data were collected through an online survey, and the final sample consisted of 331 respondents. The results revealed that controversial subcultural aesthetic advertising evoked stronger perceived contamination, greater emotional ambivalence, and less favorable attitudes toward the advertisement compared to traditional advertising. The findings also showed that perceived contamination positively affected emotional ambivalence and negatively affected attitudes toward the advertisement, however, no statistically significant effect on purchase intentions was found. Finally, the results confirmed the moderating role of health moralization. The positive effect of controversial subcultural aesthetic advertising, compared to traditional advertising, on perceived contamination was stronger among consumers with higher levels of health moralization. |
