Young People's Attitudes on Art Infusion Advertising on Social Media:  Focus Groups with Chinese Students

In China, advertisements posted by online influencers on social media platforms have become a new trend of marketing. Through the lenses of art-infusion theory and the entertainment overcoming resistance model, this study focuses on a specific advertisement posted by a Chinese online influencer and explores whether this advertisement appeals to Chinese young people and why. Five focus group sessions were conducted with 29 Asian college students to explore the impact of artwork in advertising on participants' attitudes toward the ad and the advertised product. The results showed that 1) participants' attitudes toward the ad were affected by the presence of artwork, and 2) entertainment features such as narrative structure and liking of the author contributed to overcoming resistance to advertising. The findings of the study suggest practical implications for advertising professionals as well as art promoters.