The impact of AI-generated advertisements on customers’ perceptions

Abstract

The thesis investigates how the disclosed creator of an advertisement, human versus artificial intelligence (AI), influences consumers’ perceptions of advertising creativity. Drawing on Attributional Theory of Creativity, the study examines whether consumers attribute different levels of creativity to advertisements based solely on the perceived source of creation, even when the advertising stimulus remains identical. In particular, the research focuses on the mediating role of perceived emotionality of the creator in shaping creativity evaluations. To address the research objectives, a quantitative, experimental research design was employed using a between-subjects online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to view a static digital advertisement labeled as either human-created or AI-generated, accompanied by a manipulation text reinforcing the creator identity. Perceived advertising creativity and perceived emotionality of the creator were measured using validated scales. The results indicate that advertisements labeled as human-created are perceived as significantly more creative than identical advertisements labeled as AI-generated. Furthermore, perceived emotionality of the creator fully mediates the relationship between advertisement creator and perceived advertising creativity, suggesting that consumers’ creativity judgments are driven by emotional attributions rather than the creator label alone. The study contributes to the growing literature on AI creativity and advertising by empirically demonstrating the persistence of human superiority biases in creative evaluations and highlighting emotionality as a key explanatory mechanism. From a managerial perspective, the findings suggest that transparency about AI usage in advertising should be handled strategically, as AI disclosure may influence consumer perceptions beyond objective creative quality. On the whole, this thesis advances theoretical understanding of creativity attribution in the age of AI while offering practical insights for advertisers navigating human–AI creative boundaries.