We frequently encounter graphic smoking warnings and alarming obesity statistics in health advertisements. While these ads typically use fear to ignite behavioural change, a University of Auckland researcher suggests exploring alternative methods may now be necessary.
Marketing lecturer Dr. Saira Raza Khan, in her recent publication in the Journal of Advertising Research, explores how people’s reactions to diet-related messages are shaped by emotional appeals such as fear and gratitude.
“I don’t think fear in advertising is beneficial for people’s mental health and well-being,” Khan said.
“We’re already going through negative emotions in relation to other elements of our lives – the news, work stress, etc. Why not use emotions in health advertising that promote well-being?”
She said gratitude can be more effective than fear when it comes to promoting healthier choices.
“Fear tends to make people focus inward – on protecting themselves – and doesn’t always lead to lasting change. Gratitude, on the other hand, helps people feel more connected to others and can lead to more sustainable behaviour change.”
Khan explains that gratitude isn’t merely a positive feeling, it’s also an emotion inherently focused on others, one that strengthens our feelings of connection and belonging.
“When a person is scared and fearful, they’re not as receptive to others. They might have heightened awareness of threats – push away the message and close off.”
“But when a person is feeling grateful, they tend to be more open to people and to messages.”
To assess the effects of fear and gratitude in health advertising, Khan and her team carried out three experiments. In one, 297 participants viewed health advertisements featuring either fear-based, gratitude-based, or neutral messages.
Half of the participants saw an ad with human-like (anthropomorphic) elements, while the others viewed an ad without those cues.
After viewing the ads, participants were given a choice between two chocolate bars: Chocolate A (taste score: 4/5, healthiness score: 2/5) and Chocolate B (taste score: 2/5, healthiness score: 4/5).
The findings revealed that gratitude-focused advertisements incorporating human-like elements were more likely to prompt individuals to select the healthier chocolate bar, while fear-based messaging proved more impactful when such human-like cues were not present.
The results indicate that pairing gratitude with human-like imagery can be particularly effective in motivating healthy choices.
“Obesity rates are still climbing, and public health campaigns need better tools to prompt long-term change,” Khan said.
“This approach is more ethical and age-inclusive. It may also have a wider reach.”