Spectrometry of Human Values: An Empirical Method to Distinguish Social and Commercial Advertising

Purpose. This article proposes a methodological approach for the empirical analysis of human values conveyed through social and commercial advertising, based on the development of a perception-based spectrometry technique. Methodology. Perceptual tests were conducted with 782 participants using four preselected advertising stimuli (two social and two commercial). Vectorial value maps were employed to graphically represent the axiological composition of each message. Results and conclusions. Clear evidence of differentiation was found between the predominant values in social and commercial advertising. Social messages were significantly associated with collective and transcendent values, whereas commercial messages were oriented toward hedonistic, success-related, and consumerist values. The technique allowed for the quantitative visualization of these contrasts, demonstrating high consistency in audience perception. Original contribution. Value spectrometry constitutes an innovative tool for the empirical measurement of the axiological load in advertising messages, opening new avenues for scientific analysis in communication and advertising ethics. Its usefulness extends to both researchers and communication professionals interested in designing messages aligned with social or commercial objectives, as well as for the analysis and quality control of communicative content.