Influence of visual design on the advertising communication of sports brands

Abstract

This study examines the effects of visual design in advertising related to sports brands on consumers’ purchase intent. It is a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, and correlational study conducted on a sample of 157 gym-goers residing in Ocaña, Norte de Santander. Data were collected using a questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. The instrument underwent expert validation and demonstrated very strong internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha above 0.94. The study variables included advertising exposure, perception of design, brand identification, recall, and purchase intention. All dimensions of visual design showed positive correlations with purchase intention, with values ranging from 0.531 to 0.709. Of the five, advertising exposure had the greatest influence. The multiple regression model explained 60.4% of the variance in purchase intention, which is a significant finding because it confirms that visual design has a real and measurable impact on consumer decisions. It is important to note that no significant differences were found between buyers and non-buyers. This suggests that design perception is fairly homogeneous, regardless of whether the person has already made a purchase or not. In conclusion, the study reaffirms that visual design plays an important role in advertising communication, although its effectiveness depends primarily on two factors: the frequency of exposure and the type of emotional connection formed with the brand.