Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of background music on consumer's psychological and physiological responses when watching sports advertisements. We investigated how consumers' exposure to background music affects emotional arousal, attention, brand attitude and purchase intentions; and further tested consumers' information processing by using the same measures. Effects of music on viewer responses were hypothesized using arousal theory while the information processing was hypothesized using hierarchy-of-effects model.Design/methodology/approach: We employed a between-subjects experimental design with random assignment. Fifty-four participants were recruited with 27 in an experimental group and 27 in a control group. Quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and self-report measures were used to assess information processing. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to compare the mean differences of variables between the groups. Partial least squares algorithm and bootstrapping were performed to further explore the relationships among the measures.Findings: Mean differences indicated that the background music exposed group's emotional arousal, attention, brand attitude and purchase intention were significantly higher than those of the non-exposure group. Path analysis showed that the level of arousal induced by watching sports advertisements affected attention, attention affected brand attitude and brand attitude affected purchase intention. Indirect paths from arousal to brand attitude and attention to purchase intention were significant.Originality/value: This study provides practical implications for sports marketers regarding methods to increase the effectiveness of sport advertisement. Results might contribute theoretically to the sports advertisement field by demonstrating the relationship between physiological and marketing-effect factors. Our method of measuring physiological response using qEEG is also expected to influence physiological measurement in sports marketing.

Research in higher education has emphasized the importance of diversity by demonstrating that students’ exposure to diversity can support positive academic outcomes. Still, little attention has focused on the role of sport and recreation in promoting students’ inclusive thought patterns. This study analyzed the influence of sport spectatorship, physical activity participation, and team identification on college students’ (N=140) openness to diversity and academic outcomes. The results indicated that sport and recreational activity had a significant negative effect on students’ openness to diversity (β = -.20, p .05). Additionally, team identification was shown to have a significant negative effect on students’ academic outcomes (β = -.25, p .01). This study strived to provide insight into diversity efforts, demonstrating that sport and physical activity may serve as tools to assist in fostering inclusive excellence.

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a powerful marketing tool by eliciting novel and enjoyable consumer experiences. To help shape the future of sport advertisements and influence consumers' purchasing decisions, this study aims to investigate the effects of sport advertisements implemented with VR. Drawing on embodiment theory and transportation theory, we (1) conceptualized embodied empathy according to VR context and (2) examined a model involving psychological processes of embodied empathy, a sense of presence, and attitudes. The results showed that the effect of embodied empathy on consumers' attitude toward brand is mediated by a sense of presence and the attitude toward the advertisement, in a causal sequence. This study contributes in several ways to our understanding of VR in sport advertisements and suggests important practical implications.