Tools- of Changes

Gratitude in Advertising can Promote Healthier Decisions than Scare Tactics

Gruesome smoking warnings, frightening obesity statistics and shocking drink-driving campaigns all use fear to drive behavior change. But a University of Auckland researcher says it might be time to try a different approach.

• "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."
• Study results showed that gratitude-based ads featuring human-like imagery were more likely to lead people to choose the healthier option. Fear, by contrast, was more effective when these human-like cues were absent.
• The findings suggest that combining gratitude with human-like visuals may be a powerful way to encourage healthy behavior.
• Based on three studies from the University of Auckland