The Declining Impact of Product Advertising Photography on Consumer Purchase Decisions

Abstract

Objectives: The visual phenomenon in the digital era makes the issue of public perception of advertising necessary to re-read its effectiveness. Photography, which has long been believed to be a medium that can form a positive image in the minds of consumers, has experienced a decline in influence. This paper aims to describe and analyze the degradation of the influence of photography in advertising on consumer purchasing decisions. Methods: The study uses a quasi-experimental method with a causal and descriptive format in continuity with aesthetic analysis (design appeal). Data collection was carried out using observation, interviews, and questionnaires. Causality study is an effort to test the truth of this causal relationship (cause-and-effect), namely the relationship between the independent variable (which influences) and the dependent variable (which is influenced) in purchasing decisions. Results: The study results show that videography for advertising is able to present the quality and specifications of products compared to the visuality of photography. Conclusion: With the ability of advertising videography which has elements of images, sounds, and movements, which means become more capable of persuading purchasing decisions than still photography. Therefore, photography for advertising can no longer persuade and influence someone's decision to make a purchase (Specifically, that advertising photography on social media and digitalization era is only a conveyor of product reminder messages).