Abstract

Abstract

I’m Too Sexy (Exciting, Sophisticated, and Sincere) For My Brands: Menstrual Cycle Effects on Attitudes Toward Brand Personalities

Alessandra Boezio

Hormonal changes across women’s menstrual cycles are a determinant factor in the types of goods women will consume. During the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle women are more likely to spend money on clothing and beautification products. Conversely, in the luteal (non fertile) phase, women will consume more food and home related products (Durante et al., 2011; Saad and Stenstrom, 2012). The objective of this thesis is to extend past the research on menstrual cycle effects in a consumer setting and explore the relationship between menstrual cycle and brand personalities. It is posited that women will exhibit greater (lower) preferences for brands signalling ‘sexy’, ‘exciting’ and ‘sophisticated’ traits on fertile (luteal) days with a greater (lower) preference for ‘sincere’ brands on luteal (fertile) days. This relationship between menstrual cycle phase (fertile or luteal) and brand personalities is expected to be moderated by the specific individual differences of the participants, namely, with regards to relationship status, brand loyalty, and the participants’ propensity to engage in brand signalling. Although no main effects of menstrual cycle on brand preferences were found, the current research found a link between menstrual cycle phase, trait brand signalling, and preferences for certain brand traits (‘sophisticated’ and ‘exciting’). Also, an association between menstrual cycle phase, relationship status, and preferences for ‘sexy’ brands was discovered. This paper is the first of its kind to explore how hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle influence brand preferences within a given product category. The findings from this paper contribute to both the evolutionary consumption and brand personality research streams.