Contemporary consumers are deluged by advertising. Their lack of interest and defense has challenge advertisers to motivate consumers to process ads. From the advertising literature, rhetorical devices can be attention getting, arousing, affect inducing and memorable. Specifically, the use of metaphors expends dimensional thinking and enhances ad responses. This research proposes two types of metaphors (explicit vs. implicit) and examines the effects of product type and need for cognition on metaphor advertising. The present study uses experimental design with a 3(metaphor advertising: non-metaphoric vs. explicit-metaphoric vs. implicit-metaphoric) x 2(product type: utilitarian vs. hedonic) factorial design. Need for cognition is measured. Six different scenarios are established through fictitious product ads, and the ad effects are measures by attitude toward the brand and purchase intention to observe the response under different scenarios. The results indicate that the metaphor advertising is more effective than the non-metaphor advertising, which is consistent with previous studies. There is an interaction effect between the type of metaphor and product type. The explicit metaphor is more effective than implicit metaphor in promoting an utilitarian product. On the contrary, the implicit metaphor is more effective than the explicit metaphor in promoting a hedonic product. High need of cognition enhances the effects of metaphor advertising. Compared with those who have lower level of need for cognition, the individuals who have higher level have more favorable attitudes toward the product and stronger purchase intention, especially on explicit metaphor.