The effects of Instagram beauty advertisements on female university students in Malaysia: a Lavidge and Steiner's Hierarchy Model of Effects and Islamic perspective

• Main Authors: Mokhtar, Aida, Armelia, Mila
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: P87 Communication. Mass media
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/100173/1/Parallel-Session-Scedule-MENTION2021.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/100173/2/MENTION%202021-Mila-Aida-Seen.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/100173/

INTRODUCTION Instagram is one of the more popular and familiar social media platforms for teenagers nowadays. Most Instagram users generally are women globally (54.2%) (Statista, 2020). With the launch of Instagram advertising, in 2016, it has since provided an alternative to advertisers for their advertisements and e-commerce. This study aimed to examine the influence of Instagram advertisements of beauty products on young female audiences studying in a public university in Malaysia. It adopted the quantitative research design using the online questionnaire framed by Lavidge and Steiner’s Hierarchy of Effects model. The model consists of three main components: Cognitive (Awareness and Knowledge), Affective (Liking and Preference) and Conative (Conviction and Purchase) (Lavidge & Steiner, 1961). The Islamic perspective was also included in the study underscoring the significance of conducting advertisements in an Islamic manner. The Islamic perspective has been associated with Lavidge and Steiner’s model supported by Qur’anic verses and aHadith where each step of the model has an Islamic perspective (Mokhtar, 2016). The findings are useful for advertisers, advertising academicians and advertising agencies that would be interested to know more on the effects of beauty advertisements on Instagram targeted to female university students in Malaysia for them to produce effective advertisements. OBJECTIVES 1. To examine the effects of beauty product Instagram advertisements on female students at a public university in Malaysia. 2. To determine the reasons why female students at a public university in Malaysia are influenced by beauty product Instagram advertisements. 3. To investigate the influence of beauty product Instagram advertisements on female students at a public university in Malaysia from the Islamic perspective. DATA/METHODOLOGY The study used a quantitative research design to meet the three objectives of the study. Data was collected through an online questionnaire that was distributed to female students at a public university in Malaysia. The sample comprised 103 female respondents. The 5-point Likert scale was used as a measurement of the study. This study conducted a pilot study before the main study to determine the effectiveness of the survey instrument. RESULTS/FINDINGS The main factor that influenced awareness, under cognition, by young female students of Instagram ads of beauty products was familiarity of beauty brands. In terms of the knowledge component under cognition, respondents were greatly affected by Instagram advertisements that depicted the benefits of the product. Most respondents under affective, liked and preferred bright and eye-catching advertisements respectively. Regarding conative in terms of conviction and purchase, most of the respondents were affected by affordable prices shown on Instagram beauty ads. From the Islamic perspective, audience members were affected by symbols that were Syariah-compliant in the advertisements such as the halal logo, halal ingredients and Islamic culture. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH/POLICY The study’s findings are useful for guiding advertisers, advertising practitioners and academicians on the effects of the Instagram advertisements of beauty products on female target audiences in Malaysia. It is hoped that the study provides a guide as to the type of advertising content that is effective or otherwise for advertisers to form and meet their Instagram advertising objectives better. Advertisers can come up with better advertising and integrated marketing communication (IMC) campaigns on the whole, inclusive of effective Instagram advertisements, guided by the recommendations generated by the study. After all, the effectiveness of advertisements should be the main concern of advertisers and advertising agencies as the success of most campaigns would be determined by sales or the conative component but the cognition and affective components need to be addressed first before reaching the conative component. The study has also included the Islamic perspective which underscores the importance of conducting advertising campaigns in an ethical manner.