Gender differences: visual attention and attitude toward advertisements

Purpose This study examines the differences between genders in visual attention and attitudes toward different types of advertisements. Design/methodology/approach An experimental design using a structured questionnaire and six print advertisements with a male, female and neutral focus was used to evaluate gender differences. In total, 180 students from a public university in Brazil participated in the study. An eye-tracking device was employed, using the Tobii Studio software, to get the visual attention metrics for this study. Findings In the case of the female advertisements, no significant difference between visual attention and attitude was found; however, differences were found in the case of male visual attention to the image and their relative attitudes toward the advertisements. Research limitations/implications Because it is a laboratory experiment using quota sampling, mainly Latin consumers, the potential for broader generalization may be limited. Besides, since they are real image advertisement images, there may be some interference in the respondents' responses from previous interactions with the brand or product exposed or even from a prior observation of this advertisement. Originality/value This study provides deeper insight into Latin consumers' preferences and associations, who have a different cultural and national context. This study contributes to the use of the eye-tracking tool as a neuromarketing technique to evaluate and analyze visual attention.