Social Comparison to Advertising Depictions: Exploring Advertising Practitioners’ Perspectives

Social comparison, proposed nearly 60 years ago by Festinger (1954) is defined as an evaluative process in which an individual compares himself or herself on some dimension to a target of comparison (Kruglanski and Mayseless 1990). This theory has demonstrated relevance for consumer research including explaining consumers’ reactions to advertising messages (e.g., Richins 1991). However, little work examines how advertising practitioners, as creators of such images, perceive the social comparison process and its outcomes among consumers. Through a mixed method qualitative approach, this research examines how advertising practitioners conceptualize the social comparison process among consumers. Past studies show that individuals actively compare themselves and may be motivated not only by self-evaluation, but also by a sense of self-improvement or self-enhancement when making comparisons (Wood 1989). Research also addresses the consequences of social comparison. Much scholarly discussion in psychology centers on assimilation and contrast effects (e.g., Thornton and Moore 1993; Brewer and Weber 1994; Lockwood and Kunda 1997; Mussweiler 2001) and details a number of moderating variables. Other scholars (e.g., Richins 1991) explain that individuals may shift their standards and/or lower their self-perceptions of performance. Research in this stream mostly examines comparisons to attractive or thin models by women and is mixed with regard to its negative effects, although some scholars argue these comparisons may lead to feelings of dissatisfaction (e.g., Hogg, Bruce and Hough 1999; Martin & Kennedy 1993, 1994; Harper & Tiggemann 2008; Hargreaves & Tiggemann 2002; Lavine, Sweeney and Wagner 1999).