The Role of Gender Ideology in Consumers’ Reception of Ads Featuring Stay-at-home Dads

Abstract The number of men choosing to stay at home to be the primary caregivers for their children is on the rise. Historically, advertising has reflected, reinforced and hastened the pace of societal change. With increase in stay-at-home dads (SAHDs), there is also an increase in the ads featuring them. Based on Congruity Theory and Gender Role Ideologies as theoretical framework and an experimental method (3 X 2 factorial design), the current study tests the differences in consumers’ reception of ads featuring both men and women in primary caregiving roles. Results indicate that attitudes toward the ad and brand are a function of both exposure to the ad and individuals’ views on gender roles (i.e., gender ideology) such that individuals with egalitarian views of gender rated the brand and the ad featuring a dad as more favorable than the group with traditionalist views. Similarly, individuals with traditionalist views of gender rated the brand and ad featuring a mom more favorably than the group with egalitarian views of gender. Implications are drawn.