fear

Agenda
1. 2.

Theory Research application

3. Practical

Shock tactics Better eect on the audience and very strong motivator

Fear Appeals

Very common in marketing and every day life Persuasive information evoking fear or concern Frightening negative descriptions with negative or painful consequences People pay attention to message Adopting recommendations in the message Category of emotional appeals

Message Content

Protection Motivation Model

Severity of the threat Probability of occurrence Eectiveness of a coping response Ease with which the response can be implemented

Reaction

Extended Parallel Process Model

Fear = multidimensional Messages could lead to 2 opposing mechanisms:

Danger control (message regarded as serious and recommendation in the ad is followed) Fear control (physical defense mechanism reducing fear leading to resistance)

Positive reaction: perceived self-ecacy is higher than the perceived threat

Threat and recommendation

Threat on a moderate level (not too strong to force freezing, strong enough to be taken seriously) Recommendations are good, recognizable, realistic, convincing Emotion not the most important component description and recommendations have to be worked out well Pattern of fear (fear only, fear-relief)

Vulnerability

Extent to which a person things he is vulnerable Largest eect in behavior when person thinks he is vulnerable If not: no eect by information about serious consequences Often misperceptions, denial, misunderstanding of the threat

E.g. AIDS prevention for college students

audience

Target audience

Dierent people fear dierent things Consider response of target audience

Promotion people Prevention people

Dierent reactions depending on culture, age, gender etc.

Study with Canadian and Chinese smokers

disgust

Disgust as enhancing factor

Fear + disgust = emotions of avoidance Fear: avoidance reaction when threat is imminent Disgust: immediate action after threat Experiment with dierent groups, based on questionnaire Result: disgust provides a positive enhancing boost to fear appeals

Practical applications

Tips from former smokers Targeting smokers ages 18 to 34, it featured former smokers who were horribly disgured and scarred from smoking relating their own personal stories.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself with a stranger, because you don't know who checked in before you. spots, for the AIDS Council

Lauren Luke is an expert at covering things upwhich is why she's the perfect spokeswoman for a campaign urging the opposite when it comes to domestic violence.

References

Bachman, K. (2012). Fed's Anti-Smoking Fear Campaign Scares Up Quitters: 50,000 dump the habit. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012, from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/feds-anti-smoking-fear-campaignscares-quitters-141682. Bachman, K. (2012). Fear Factor: Feds Launch New Anti-Smoking Campaign: Ads mimic blocked tobacco warning labels. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/fear-factorfeds-launch-new-anti-smoking-campaign-138975. Belch, G. E., & Belch, M. A. (2007). Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Cullers, R. (2012). Think Twice Before Foursquaring That Stranger, Say AIDS Ads: Who checked in before you?. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/think-twice-foursquaring-stranger-say-aidsads-144627. De Pelsmacker P., et al. (2009). Marketing Communications: A European Perspective. New York: Prentice Hall. Laroche, M., et al. (2001). A cross-cultural study of the persuasive eect of fear appeal messages in cigarette advertising: China and Canada. International Journal of Advertising, 20(3), 297-317. LaTour, M. S. & Pitts, R. E. (1989). Using Fear Appeals in Advertising for AIDS Prevention in the College-Age Population. Journal of Health Care Marketing, 9(3), 5-14. Mayeld, Z. (2006). Fear Appeal Messages and Their Eectiveness in Advertising. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://voices.yahoo.com/fear-appeal-messages-their-eectiveness-advertising-31626.html. Nelfa (2011). The Appeal of Fear Appeals. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://nelfa.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/ the-appeal-of-fear-appeals/. Nudd, T. (2012). Ad of the Day: Refuge Lauren Luke covers up cuts and bruises in BBH's well-placed domestic-violence PSA. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ ad-day-refuge-141551. Fill, C. (2009). Marketing Communications: Engagement, Strategies, and Practice. Harlow: Prentice Hall. SWOV (2011). SWOV Fact sheet: Fear-based information campaigns. Retrieved Oct 20, from http:// www.swov.nl/rapport/Factsheets/UK/FS_Fear_appeals.pdf. Weinreich, N. (2006). Making Fear-Based Campaigns Work. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://blog.socialmarketing.com/2006/06/making-fear-based-campaigns-work.html. Witte, K. & Allen, M. (2000). A Meta-Analysis of Fear Appeals: Implications for Eective Public Health Campaigns. Health Educ Behav, 27(5), 591-615. doi: 10.1177/109019810002700506. Young Peoples Response to Intended Shocking Road Safety Messages (2007). Retrieved Oct 20,2012 from http://www.slideserve.com/cher/fear-appeals.

Images

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012). Shawns Ad. Retrieved Oct 23, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/resources/ads/tips-ad-shawn-full-v1a.pdf. Evaxebra (2008). Bloodbath. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 from http://www.ickr.com/photos/ evaxebra/2908893510/sizes/l/. Hawk, Thomas (2006). The Calm After the Show. Retrieved Oct 23, 2012 from http:// www.ickr.com/photos/thomashawk/155918164/sizes/l/in/photostream/. JessArt (2009). Frightened. Retrieved Oct 23, 2012 from http://www.ickr.com/photos/ 36671572@N04/4142165844/sizes/l/in/photostream/. Martin, David (2009). Shoot him, now that you can!!!. Retrieved Oct 23, 2012 from http:// www.ickr.com/photos/salaboli/3370155708/sizes/z/in/photostream/. Shandi-lee (2010). Pieces. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012, from http://www.ickr.com/photos/ shandilee/5022057355/sizes/l/. Wiseacre photo (2006). Through the mouth of your eye through the eye of the needle it's easier for me to get closer to heaven than ever feel whole again. Retrieved Oct 23, 2012 from http://www.ickr.com/photos/wiseacre/175479093/sizes/l/in/photostream/. Woplu (2009). Queuing. Retrieved Oct 23, 2012 from http://www.ickr.com/photos/wklemp/ 3375764665/sizes/l/in/photostream/.