Gruesome smoking warnings, frightening obesity statistics, and shocking drink-driving campaigns have long used fear as a tactic to drive behavior change in public health advertisements. However, marketing lecturer Dr. Saira Raza Khan from the University of Auckland suggests that it might be time to rethink this approach and explore the power of gratitude in promoting healthier choices.
In her recent article published in the Journal of Advertising Research, Dr. Khan delves into the impact of emotional appeals, specifically fear and gratitude, on people’s responses to diet-related messages. Collaborating with fellow researchers, Dr. Vivian Pontes, Professor Yuri Seo, and Associate Professor Felix Septiano, the study aimed to understand how different emotional triggers can influence behavior change.
While fear often leads individuals to focus inward and protect themselves, it may not always result in lasting change. On the other hand, gratitude fosters a sense of connection and belonging, making it a more sustainable driver for behavior change. Dr. Khan emphasizes that gratitude is not just a positive emotion but an inherently other-focused emotion that can enhance receptiveness to health messages.
To examine the effectiveness of fear and gratitude in health advertising, the researchers conducted three studies involving participants exposed to ads with varying emotional appeals. The results indicated that gratitude-based ads featuring human-like imagery were more likely to encourage individuals to make healthier choices compared to fear-based ads. The combination of gratitude and anthropomorphic visuals proved to be a powerful motivator for promoting healthy behavior.
Dr. Khan advocates for a shift towards gratitude in public health campaigns, highlighting its potential to foster well-being, positive social change, and ethical advertising practices. By embracing transformative advertising approaches that prioritize gratitude over fear, campaigns can potentially have a wider reach and impact on promoting long-term behavioral change.
The study findings suggest that incorporating gratitude and human-like visuals in health messaging can offer a more ethical and sustainable path forward for public health campaigns. As obesity rates continue to rise, adopting gratitude-based strategies may provide a more inclusive and effective means of encouraging healthier decisions among diverse populations.
In conclusion, Dr. Khan’s research underscores the importance of reevaluating the use of fear in health advertising and considering the power of gratitude as a catalyst for positive behavior change. By shifting the focus from fear to gratitude, public health campaigns can inspire individuals to make healthier choices in a more compassionate and impactful manner.
