Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative study of graphic design by using archetype theory for high involvement products between metrosexual and ubersexual. The archetype theory is a psychological concept in effective narration through characters with familiar personalities. The target audience were males with different perceptual frameworks. The metrosexual males give priority to appearance, brand names, fashion and quality over price while the ubersexual males are males with outstanding appearance and serious lifestyles. They are masculine, polite and thoughtful. The graphic designs based on the archetype theory are presented in four aspects: creative execution, advertising appeals, color contrast and visual contrast. The study was conducted in three phrases. The first one was data collection from four hundred Thai males (two hundred of metrosexual and ubersexual). They all were older than 20 years old. The Snowball Sampling technique was employed. The survey was distributed electronically. Twenty one archetypes were selected. The study found that ten archetypes had an influence on metrosexual. Eleven archetypes had an influence on ubersexual. The archetype of each group shared some characteristics and had some differences. Eight archetypes had influences on both groups. Two archetypes had an influence only on the metrosexual group, and three archetypes had an influence only on the ubersexual group. In total, thirteen archetypes had an influence on male in this study. The second phrases was collecting data from four hundred international advertisements of the high involvement products presented by the thirteen archetypes influencing both groups. Nine experts on graphic design were asked to choose appropriate methods for creative execution and appeals in the advertisements. The experts were interviewed in depth on graphic design. The two experts and the researcher collaborated on an analysis of the appropriate designs on color contrast and visual contrast. The study found that there were three designs: specific graphic designs for metrosexual, specific graphic designs for ubersexual and designs for both groups. For these three designs, the answers were divided into three groups: the most reliable answers, reliable answers and unreliable answers. The last phrase was to compare graphic designs by using archetype theory between the two groups: metrosexual and ubersexual. For creative execution methods, there were fifteen reliable ways. Among these, there were eight most reliable ways for metrosexual and seven for ubersexual. All seven for ubersexual were the same as those for metrosexual. There was only one which was different between two groups. For advertising appeals, there were fifteen reliable ways. Among these, there were three most reliable ways for metrosexual and ubersexual. For color contrast, there were six reliable ways. Among these, there were two most reliable ways for metrosexual and ubersexual. There was merely one reliable way for metrosexual. For visual contrast, there were five reliable ways. Among these, there were two most reliable ways for metrosexual and three for ubersexual. There was one similar method and three different methods. The satisfaction on the application of graphic design in an advertisement of sunglasses was divided into three groups. Representatives of metrosexual were satisfied with visual contrast the most at 3.80 averagely. Representatives of ubersexual were satisfied with advertising appeals the most at 3.80 averagely and the satisfaction on creative execution and color contrast was at 3.40. Representatives from both groups were satisfied with advertising appeals, color contrast and visual contrast at 4.00 the most.