Print Advertising and Female Sensuality in a North African Context: The Mediating Role of Visual Mental Imagery
Nour El Houda BEN AMOR, Dorsaf HADIJI, Mohamed-Nabil MZOUGHI, Ichrak BEN SLIMANE

Abstract
This paper investigates the mediating role of mental imagery in ads using female sensuality approach. It aims to study the relationships between congruence, provocation, mental imagery and attitude toward advertisement. Before completing the main survey, 77 subjects were instructed to rate a series of 16 female models. Only the highest and the lowest in perceived intensity of sensual appeals were chosen. Two print advertisements, sensual female model vs. non sensual female model, were designed using Photoshop software. The study was then conducted nearby 200 participants aged between 18 and 35 in Tunisia. Results indicate that high congruency between sensual model and product leads to minimize viewer’s irritation, raise mental images quantity and provoke the appearance of vivid positive mental imagery. The latter variable has a mediating role in the formation of attitude toward advertisement, it contribute to achieve a favourable attitude toward advertisement.

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