When Does Model Age Enhance Luxury Perception? The Boundary Role of Long-term versus Short-term Goal Framing

Aged bodily cues(e.g., wrinkles, white hair, postural stability) convey symbolic meanings associated with temporal depth, including notions of endurance, wisdom, and timelessness. These meanings are not inherently activated, but rather require alignment with contextual cues that render them diagnostic and relevant. Drawing on cue congruity theory (Meyers-Levy & Tybout, 1989), we propose that the perceived luxury associated with aged models depends on the degree to which the model’s symbolic meaning aligns with the goal framing of the product. Specifically, when a product is framed as fulfilling long-term goals—such as sustainability, durability, or self-investment—the aged model provides a conceptually congruent cue that reinforces perceptions of heritage and long-term value, thereby enhancing luxury perceptions. Conversely, when the product is framed as fulfilling short-term goals—such as indulgence, instant gratification, or hedonic pleasure—the aged bodily cue becomes less congruent, potentially undermining the symbolic coherence of the advertisement. In such cases, the age-related cue may fail to activate the luxury schema, or even elicit incongruent associations, thereby attenuating its persuasive impact.