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.

Nowadays, consumers are lack of interest for advertisement because they are flooded by advertising. Therefore, advertisers try to motivate consumers to process ads. From the advertising literature, rhetorical devices can be attention-getting, arousing, and affect inducing and memorable. Specifically, the use of metaphors expends dimensional thinking and enhances ad responses. This research proposes two types of metaphors: juxtaposition vs. replacement. It examines the moderating effects of product type and consumers¡¦ gender differences on metaphor advertising. The present study uses experimental design with a 3(metaphor advertising: non-metaphor vs. juxtaposition vs. replacement) x2 (product type: search good vs. experience good) x2 (gender difference: male vs. female) factorial design. Six different scenarios are established through fictitious product ads, and the ad effects are measured by attitudes toward the ad, attitudes toward the brand, and purchase intention to observe the responses under different scenarios. The results indicate that the metaphor advertising is more effective than the non-metaphor advertising. In promoting a search good, the replacement metaphor is more effective than the juxtaposition metaphor. On the contrary, the juxtaposition is more effective than replacement in promoting an experience good. When females face metaphor ads for promoting a search good, the replacement is more effective than the juxtaposition. However, no such differences are found in males.The findings suggest that marketers should consider not only the product type they promote but also the gender of their target consumers in order to enhance the advertising effects.