Sex Appeal Ad and Materialism: A Comparison of Young Consumer Attitude and Purchase Intention in France and Indonesia M. Gunawan Alif 1 , Yuniar Vigari 2 Sampoerna University, Indonesia 1,2 gunawan.alif@sampoernauniversity.ac.id 1 Abstract. Although many studies already report on materialism or sexual appeal in advertising, this study tried to examine the direct effect and combination effect between materialism and sexual appeal to young consumers in Indonesia and France. The experimental research results showed a significant direct effect and interactions effect between sexual appeal and materialism, as well as between sexual appeal and the countries in this study. It is quite surprising to find, that the effect of high sexual appeal is greater among high materialism young consumers in Indonesia, a more religious country, compared to young consumer in more liberal France. This study explains why this kind of anomaly could happen. Keywords Sexual Appeal, Advertising, Materialism, Attitude Toward the Ad, Attitude Toward the Brand, Purchase Intention, Indonesia, France. 1. Introduction In a number of studies, sexual imagery in advertising is already considered a strong emotional appeal [1]. Sexual portrayals used in the advertising industry has been proven and tested to be provoking on how people form attitudes. It is used as powerful instrument to draw attention to a product or service. For materialistic people, they assume the importance of possessions and acquisitions is depending as an essential prospect for the satisfaction and well-being in life. In this case, it is considered as a central place in a person's life, and is believed to be the biggest acumen of satisfaction and dissatisfaction [2]. Culturally, the appeal of sexual imagery to the audience is perceived differently in the world. In the US, some people do not like the sexy advertisements and would boycott products that have excessive sexuality in advertising [3]. However, in continental European countries (eg, Denmark, Germany, Italy, France) consumers are generally not too concerned against nudity or voluptuousness in advertisements [4]. In France, some sexual ads even have some sort of understanding that is not always negative and is referred only as "porno-chic" [5]. French women generally consider nudity and sexuality of women more as an aesthetic rather than sexist [6]. As [7] mention that attitude toward the ad and attitude toward the brand will positively affecting purchase intention, this study will seek what is the effect of sexual appeal advertising, materialism, and different culture, regarding attitude toward the advertising, attitude toward the brand and purchase intention. This study will involve young consumer in SU-AFBE 2018, December 06, Jakarta, Indonesia Copyright © 2019 EAI DOI 10.4108/eai.6-12-2018.2286286