PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Gianluigi Guido AU - Marco Pichierri AU - Giovanni Pino AU - Rajan Nataraajan TI - Effects of Face Images and Face Pareidolia on Consumers' Responses to Print Advertising AID - 10.2501/JAR-2018-030 DP - 2018 Jul 19 TA - Journal of Advertising Research PG - JAR-2018-030 4099 - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/early/2018/07/17/JAR-2018-030.short 4100 - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/early/2018/07/17/JAR-2018-030.full AB - This research investigates whether print advertisements featuring faces (i.e., face advertisements) or facelike images (i.e., pareidolian advertisements) better capture consumer attention than advertisements that do not include such elements. In two studies, the researchers examined the effects of exposing consumers to print advertisements containing faces or pareidolian images for short time lapses—one-half, one, and three seconds. The results show that both advertisement types captured viewers' attention and more frequently were recognized than advertisements that did not feature faces or facelike objects. Both face advertisements and pareidolian advertisements increased brand recognition and advertisement preference. Theoretical and operational implications are discussed.