Appeals in Korean Magazine Advertising: A Content Analysis and Cross-Cultural Comparison

This paper examines the economic, advertising industry, cultural, and product factors influencing the use of emotional and rational appeals in advertising for South Korea and the U.S. Content analysis of 600 Korean magazine advertisements shows that emotional appeals predominate in headlines, but rational appeals are more common overall and in the illustrations. Compared to results from 403 U.S. advertisements, Korean magazine advertising uses more emotional appeals, though differences vary across product types and executional method. Implications for advertising practice and future research are discussed.