There are some things that men and women judge differently. And according to a new study, art is one of them.

Published in the journal Psychology & Marketing, researchers from Michigan State University, Louisiana Tech University and Birmingham-Southern College asked 518 participants to look at two unfamiliar paintings displayed with made-up artist biographies. Some participants read the bio of a lifelong painter who creates unique, "authentic" work, while others read the bio of an "ordinary" new painter.

The researchers then asked whether they liked the artist and their work, and if they would be interested in buying the art.

In the first study on the importance of an artist's "brand" to consumers, the researchers found that the men emphasized the artists, whereas the women focused on the art itself.

When the artist was described as authentic, the participants judged both the artist and the art more favorably and were willing to buy the painting, even at a higher price.

"All consumers in the study, but especially men, evaluated art with a strong emphasis on how motivated and passionate the artist was," says Dr. Stephanie Mangus, assistant professor at Michigan State University's Broad College of Business and co-author of the study. "So if you're an artist or if you're managing an artist, developing that human brand— getting the message across that you're authentic—becomes essential."

Men and women did not see eye to eye when thinking about purchasing a painting. Men were found to use the artist's brand as the ultimate deciding factor more than the women did. Women also took the brand into account, but focused more on the actual piece of art.

"Women are more willing to go through a complicated process of actually evaluating the artwork," says Mangus, "whereas men may say, 'This guy's a great artist, so I'll buy his art.'"

With the $64 billion art market continuing to grow over the past 10 years, the findings can help art dealers set a process when considering the artist's brand.

The research could also be applied in other industries, such as fashion and food, when a well-known figure becomes the face of a product, clothing line or restaurant.

"While designers and chefs oftentimes operate in the background, this research suggests that more emphatically communicating their passion and commitment to their craft could significantly benefit that brand's image and sales," the study says.

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