Which endorser and content are most influential in Korean restaurant promotions?

This study explored the influence of advertising brochures that feature endorsers and informational content for a restaurant located in a highly competitive district of Seoul, Korea, that primarily targets foreign tourists. The study examined the effects of three types of endorsers (customer, chef, and owner) on the responses of Japanese tourists. A total of 300 questionnaires were collected from Japanese tourists after personal interviews were conducted at locations in Seoul frequently visited by Japanese tourists.Of the three types of advertisement endorsements tested for Japanese tourists’ attitudinal responses and purchase intentions, the owner spokesperson was found to be the most effective endorser. However, the chef endorsement and the customer endorsement showed similar influences on the Japanese tourists’ attitudinal or behavioral responses. Among the four brochure treatments that tested the effects of resumes and photos, brochures that included both a resume and a photo were found to be the most effective, followed by brochures that only included a photo and brochures that only included a resume. In contrast, the group of brochures that included neither a resume nor a photo was found to be the least influential.

► The effects of three types of endorsers were tested. ► The effects of advertising content were tested. ► Japanese tourists’ attitudinal responses according to types of advertisement endorsers and contents was explored. ► An owner model was the most effective. ► Ad with both resume and photo was the most effective.