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Abstract
The overall purpose of this study was to investigate if and how sexual editorial content primed a subsequently viewed advertisement. Specifically, this study examined how a sexual magazine article primed the interpretation and evaluation of the subsequently viewed ambiguous ad. In addition, the role of a sex-related personal variable (Sexual Self-Schema; SSS) was assessed to determine if it influenced ad evaluation and message processing. The results of the experiment indicated that sexual editorial content enhanced the accessibility of sexual attributes which contributed to participants interpretation of an ambiguous ad more sexually than did nonsexualeditorial content. Also, this study found that participants with a high (positive) SSS were more likely to interpret the ambiguous ad sexually than did low (negative) SSS participants but only in the non-sexual prime (or control) condition. The findings also indicate that SSS did play a role in evaluations of the ad and brand. For example, high (positive) SSS in the primed condition had significantly higher advertising attitude-toward-the-ad, attitude toward brand, involvement of ad, brand interest, and purchase intension than did low (negative) SSS. These results and their implications for theory and practice, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.