Issue Summary
March (Vol. 66, Issue 1)

How Product Size Relative to a Model Shapes Ad Effectiveness
A subtle design choice in advertising—whether a product appears larger or smaller than the model next to it—can influence how consumers evaluate the ad. This research examines how product–model relative size interacts with product category to shape consumer responses. Across three online experiments and a field study, the authors find that hedonic products (such as those associated with pleasure or enjoyment) perform better when the model appears larger than the product, whereas utilitarian products are evaluated more favorably when the product appears larger than the model. The effect occurs because these visual arrangements increase conceptual fluency, making the ad feel more natural and easier to process. The findings offer a simple but powerful creative guideline: aligning visual composition with the type of product can improve consumer evaluations and purchase intentions.