Providing a Theoretical and Practical Guidance for Fear Appeal Advertising

Showing a man holding a loaded revolver with cigarettes with black background and in large white text the phrase “Smoking Kills,” the ad implies that smoking is responsible for killing millions of people. The use of black and white color contrast works very well, to go along with the strong image presented. To go along with the color contrast, the use of light text and on the shadowing pitch-black background make a good-bad type comparison within the image. The ad also provides the numerous side effects of smoking cigarettes in small but clearly readable text. “Cancer, heart problems, gum disease, emphysema, depression and fatigue,” these are only a few of the smoking-related illnesses clearly written out in this advertisement (1). This ad wants people to realize the smoking-related illness, and side effects from smoking and successfully does so with the use of text as image. Smoking-related illnesses costs of the ones listed in the ad and more, account for $300 billion a year in the United States. Costs have been going up at an alarming rate due to the continued addiction of old smokers and the use of tobacco products by new smokers. At the bottom of the ad under the “Smoking Kills” phrase, it asks the viewers a question “so why bother starting?”(2) This use of text as image gives the viewers something to think about in the future when faced with temptations to smoke. Providing an abundance of information and using a strong visual, the first advertisement portrays a clear message and presents the viewers a strong argument. This is an example of a good, effective

When studying fear appeals one research article noted that it was most effective when the threat component preceded the recommendation component. The rise or increase aspect suggests persuasion is a function of the magnitude of the difference between baseline fear and peak fear. The peak aspect highlights the level of fear aroused regardless of the individual’s state of fear prior to the message. The decrease aspect implies the possibility that it is the degree to which fear is reduced, presuming that it is first aroused, that determines persuasion (Dillard & Anderson, 2004). The study tested a person’s positive BIS correlation associated with a premessage of fear as well as its increase and peak. BAS, however, is unrelated to all parts of

Approximately twenty percent of adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, it is this habit which is the number one cause of death that is easily preventable. Anti-smoking advertisements are seen throughout our society, usually showing the harmful effects of tobacco through graphic pictures or other shocking images. The advertisement I chose is a black and white image, showing a young man smoking a cigarette, with the smoke from it forming a gun pointed at his head. Off to the side appear the words, “Kill a cigarette, save a life. Yours.” The advertisement makes use of the three rhetorical appeals of logos, ethos, and pathos through its image and implied meanings. Through this, the image is able to convey a strong sense of danger and bring awareness to the deadliness of smoking.

Communication theories helps organizations determine how to approach and address health issues. The two communication theories used in spreading the dangers of smoking tobacco among Georgia smokers includes the Persuasion Theory and Mass and New Media Communication Theory. The target audience plays a role in the decision of which theory to optimize. Youth seem to respond to social media network communication, such as Facebook and Twitter as the adults seem to respond to TV or billboard ads that display graphic images of health issues related to smoking tobacco.

Advertisers thought a few years ago that the more the fear was important; the more the desire to fight this fear was important, which led them to the conclusion that the effectiveness of the advertising message was proportional to the level of fear aroused. But some researchers have found that strong fear appeals tend to be less effective than moderate messages. Apparently, the relation between the fear and the effectiveness of the advertisement resembles an inverted U-shaped curve. If the level of fear is too important, it can provoke in the consumer mind a defense mechanism. This process can lead to avoid the advertising message, to deny the threat, or to choose or distort the message. Consumer's attitude toward an ad are important to advertisers because people who dislike an ad are likely to resist its effort to increase the favorability of their attitudes toward the product itself. If the consumer thinks a specific advertising practice is unethical or immoral, a number of unwanted outcomes can appeared in the consumer's mind, ranging from consumer indifference toward the advertising product

The authors point out how anti-smoking advertisements do not send a clear message to the students to understand how smoking can impact their health. It seems that the advertisements trick people by sending the wrong message, such as demonstrating that smoking is not as bad as it seems that the more the students see those advertisements, the more propense for the students to smoke. The source is relevant to my hypothesis because it demonstrates that teenagers are unaware of the health consequences that they can get. The author’s goal is for teenagers to understand anti-smoking messages are not explicit and are not demonstrating a clear understanding of the risks that smoking cause. The authors conclude that new advertisements need to be more carefully evaluated for teenagers to recognize that their intentions reflect undesirable outcome in the antismoking advertainments for teenagers to understand smoking and the inevitable result that can be provoked due to smoking.

According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), 36.5 million Americans currently smoke, that is about fifteen percent of the population which is equal to the combined population of America’s twenty-five largest cities. Although anti-smoking advertisements are shown throughout the United States, people do not take them seriously half the time. The advertisement in this analysis showcases a grayish background, with the colors focusing mainly on a cigarette box that has the cigarettes put into crayon labels and the box also opens like a crayon box. There is also a child’s writing with crayons saying, “Just like mommy.” From this, the image showcases the dangers of smoking and the causes it has on loved ones. This advertisement uses strong ethos, pathos, and logos to get ASH’s point across very clear.

This experimental study is being done to better understand the effectiveness of anti-drinking and driving advertisements on university-aged students. “Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 16 to 25 year olds, and alcohol and/or drugs are a factor in 55% of those crashes” (Madd, 2013). Increasing the effectiveness of anti-drinking and driving advertisements could be a solution to this critically high mortality rate in young people. The main purpose of this study is to better understand the effect of positive and negative anti-drinking and driving advertisements within different settings and different amounts of times.

Another woman brings up to a little girl how smoking can increase your risk of aging. This advertisement shows logos into play. Logos is shown when it is stating the reasoning on why children should not start smoking. Pathos is also shown when the adults state the reason why one should not pick up a cigarette. The different kind of effects creates a sense of fear and avoidance of the product.

Smoking continues to be an increasing problem in both the United States and around the world. Advertisements of many types continue to aid in lowering the use of cigarettes by teenagers. In this advertisement, published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many rhetorical devices are used to help appeal to the audience’s senses, understanding, and perception on smoking cigarettes. Using a young woman in the advertisement shifts the focus towards teenagers that smoke cigarettes, have thought about smoking, or have been around others that do smoke. With the incorporation of the FDA’s “The Real Cost” campaign logo, facts about the outcome of smoking, and the photograph of the young girl's face, this advertisement serves the purpose of grabbing the attention of teenagers that use cigarettes and warns them of the negative outcomes of smoking by using certain appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos.

With realistic and factual information on a cigarette smoking, that is scary, a person’s attitude and beliefs can change about their unhealthy behavior. Goal wise, the target audience will in turn, stop their unhealthy behavior of cigarette smoking. Methods of communications, in order to deliver the scare tactics, are through advertisements in places where the target audience visits frequently. Ideas of delivery for communications is social media and television (commercials). The public health theory of reasoned action was chosen to incorporate my theory (scare tactics with educational information, helps to deter unhealthy controllable behaviors), other than other alternative models of public health, is because I have high agreeance with the phrase, “It's sad that bad things have to happen in order for us to stop and look around” (Duke, 2014). Strategically with educational scare tactics that relate to women ages 18-24 specifically (reproductive issues), their attitudes and beliefs about smoking will change as the reasoned theory chart below

A major issue today in tobacco advertisement is the controversy over ads targeting children and teenagers. The two companies under the most fire for their advertisements are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a fictional “Marlboro Man,” while Camel uses a high rolling and sophisticated cartoon character, Joe Camel. Camel has been attacked by several Tobacco-free organizations as a major influence on children. Dr. Lonnia Bristow of the American Medical Association remarks, “To children, cartoon characters mean that the product is harmless, but cigarettes are not harmless. They have to know that their ads are influencing children under ten to begin smoking, but choose not to stop creating them” (Thomas). Researchers have conducted studies that show six year olds recognize Joe Camel as well as they recognize Mickey Mouse. Every industry denies that their advertising goal targets people under twenty-one, and they claim their goal is to simply promote brand switching and brand loyalty (Breo). Jeff Pearlman sums up the attitude of the tobacco and advertising industries by saying, “Is the use of a cartoon character in an ad proof that you are ‘targeting children‘? If so, what about the Pink Panther selling insulation or Snoopy promoting insurance?” (Bill Clinton...).

If warning kids of the future health risks of smoking is a successful way to keep them from smoking then why does the US Department of Health and Human Services report that 34% of Kentucky high school students smoke? It isn't. In fact, ads that focus on smoking health risks are proven to stimulate the rebellious and curious nature of youth (ScienceDaily 1).

A comparison of the two advisements that were selected demonstrates that one shows smoking and the other expresses domestic violence. The advertising of both smoking and domestic violence issues is suited to a mature audience, furthermore the targeted audience are those whom have issues regarding addiction. Techniques were used in relation to the following: audience & context, purpose and language conventions. The intended ‘smoking’ audience shows the families where adults smoke causes harm to the children through passive smoking as indicated in the words of the two toe tags. Meanwhile the domestic violence advertisement encompasses the awareness of violence in the individual’s home. The intention of the advertisement shows the adult with ‘smoker’