INVESTIGATING EFFECTIVE SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS IN ...

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INVESTIGATING EFFECTIVE SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS IN THE GAMBLING CONTEXT: THE USE OF FEAR MIXED WITH CHALLENGE APPEALS IN ADVERTISING. Svetlana de Vos, University of Adelaide, Australia Roberta Crouch, University of Adelaide, Australia Pascale Quester, University of Adelaide, Australia Jasmina Ilicic, University of Adelaide, Australia

24 th NAGS Conference Gold Coast, 26-28 November 2014 Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Outline

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Introduction and research contributions Purpose and rationale of the study Literature review: Gaps in the extant knowledge Conceptual framework and research questions Research design and methodology Findings and Discussions Study limitations and future research

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Background

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The social cost of problem gambling in Australia exceeds $4.7 billion a year, with approximately 15% of problem gamblers seeking help (Productivity Commission 2010), suggesting that identifying any attempt at mitigating harm, including social marketing, can be worthwhile.

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Only approximately 10% of gambling afflicted-consumers seek help ( Delfabbro 2011)


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Research impact: •

Social marketing strategies to address help-seeking behaviour among gambling-afflicted consumers remain limited.The concept of mixed fear and challenge appeals is particularly interesting, yet is nearly absent in social marketing advertisements.

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This study adds to research that is focused on the multiple roles of emotions in persuasion and information processing, and complements the work on mixed emotional appeals in the gambling context.

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For advertising practitioners, this study offers valuable insights from the Australian consumers for the development of mixed emotional advertising appeals.

Purpose and rationale of the study •

The main objective of the current investigation is qualitative validation of the proposed conceptual model in a thematic manner, to evaluate the face validity of its constructs. Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Literature Review

Mixed emotional appeals: Fear combined with challenge

GAPS Information processing (depth and modes)

Gambling Context


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Literature review: Positive psychology view of mixed emotions •

Emotion is a basic form of decision making and comprises cognitive processes as much as of sensory processes, often guiding judgements and actions (Immordino-Yang and Damasio 2007).

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Consumers use emotions as tools for efficient information processing, which enhance their ability to engage in meaningful deliberation (Marcus et. al., 2011, Blanchette and Richards, 2010).

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Mixed emotions are emotional states defined by both positive and negative emotions (Aaker et al., 2008) experienced jointly (Larsen and McGraw, 2011) or in close temporal proximity (Lazarus, 1991).

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Co-activation of positive and negative emotional processes may be central to one’s ability to focus on stressful information long enough to identify adaptive solutions (Larsen et al., 2003, Larsen and McGraw, 2011) and foster healthy coping with stressors (Coifman et al., 2007).


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Literature review: Fear mixed with challenge appeal – limited empirical evidence in the advertising domain

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Coactive messages, in comparison to only positive or negative emotional content, result in more resource allocation, better encoding and storage of information in drug prevention, anti-smoking, safe sex (Lang et al., 2013), and anti-marijuana (Wang et al., 2012) contexts.

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Fear appeal mixed with challenge, results in stronger behavioral intentions and greater behavior compliance in a skin cancer context, in comparison to pure fear appeals or fear mixed with hope appeals (Passyn and Sujan, 2006).


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Controversial role of fear in the persuasive advertising •

Fear elicitation is necessary to generate a higher degree of attention from the viewer (Ordoñana et al., 2009) and can motivate respondents to carry out protective actions in the gambling context (Munoz et al., 2010)

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Consumers engaged in smoking or drinking behaviour inhibit processing of information enclosed in pure fear appeals (Brown and Smith, 2007, Diehr et al., 2011) and tend to disengage from message processing (Nielsen and Shapiro, 2009, Kessels et al., 2010).


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Challenge : an ambiguous positive state •

Challenge is ”an ambiguous positive state, which has emotional implications expressed in terms like enthusiasm, excitement, exhilaration, happiness or even joy as in “the joy of battle” and can help keep person alert and vigilant to important informational inputs with which to cope” (Lazarus et al. 1980, p. 206).

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Challenge enhances message elaboration (Schneider et al. 2009)

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Challenge is an appraisal that one can grow and gain from a demanding encounter or set of encounters and associated with the attainment of meaningful rewards or benefits (Lazarus 1991, p. 83; Lazarus et al. 1980, pp. 193, 206).

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Challenge is associated with self-accountability, defined as “an assessment of the degree to which oneself is responsible for the situation” (Smith and Kirby, 2011). Respondents ought to feel obliged or accountable to ensure behaviour (Passyn and Sujan, 2006). Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Message information processing : The Heuristic-Systematic Model (HSM) •

HSM examines information processing as an antecedent to attitude formation. Attitudes are formed and modified as people gain information about attitude objects (Eagly and Chaiken, 1993).

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Modes of processing: Heuristic and Systematic

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Systematic processing positively relates to the degree to which people actively consider salient beliefs or depth of processing, impacting the strength of riskrelated evaluations, risk-related attitudes, and consequently risk-related decisions and behaviors (Griffin et al., 2002).

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When a message is processed systematically, the currently held attitude is strengthened, or altered, in some enduring manner and tends to be more permanent, whereas attitudes based on heuristic processing are relatively more unstable (Averbeck et al., 2011).


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Conceptual framework

Revised Protection Motivation Model of Fear appeals (Arthur and Quester 2004) Cognitive-phenomenological theory of emotions (Lazarus et al., 1980) Heuristic/systematic information processing model (Eagly and Chaiken, 1993) Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Research Design and Methodology •

5 Focus Groups Interviews. Metropolitan area of Adelaide, South Australia .

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Thematic Analysis and Theme Building Approach (Messerlian and Derevensky, 2007 ).

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Epistemologically, thematic analysis of the current research positions itself as realist method and reports on participants’ experiences and meanings derived from the advertising stimuli assessments

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Sample characteristic:

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Inclusion criteria: moderate risk gamblers and gambling participants with PGSI 8+ . Mostly EGM players

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Duration: 2 hours

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Audio recorded.

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Gift voucher ( 50 $ value) Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Semi- structured interview guide •

Recall any social marketing advertisements in different contexts including gambling print/tv/radio. What first comes to mind when you think of these advertisements. Do they “work”? /efficient? /not efficient? / Explain why.

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What is the best way to go about telling people about gambling and helpseeking?

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Should one use basic information (statistics), or emotional messages to enhance message persuasiveness. Why?

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Which emotions/ emotional appeals would you use if asked to design a social marketing advertisement (gambling context). Why? Please explain.

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What other message elements would be important to prompt help seeking among gamblers ? Please explain.


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Research Findings: Experiencing mixed emotions – insights from the participants “One of the turning points for me in deciding to give up gambling, was that my counsellor put all the bad things that I was doing (gambling, drinking) on my route to destruction on board and on the other side of the board we worked out

what my life would look like without doing that, if I changed. You know, if I kept going the way I was - suicidal and the rest of it, which would probably be the end of it [life]. But on the other side of the board we started to talk about things like connecting back to my children, being a worthwhile person, thinking about working again, all those sort of things. These things written on that board, inspiring sort of things, made me think. Slowly seeing that sort of hope, things that I wanted to do in a positive way, because I was lost, totally lost, made the difference.” (F, 56, resolved PG) Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Experiencing and constructing mixed emotional messages – insights from the participants •

“ It is important to get the message that you might be

tittering at that point, but that slope from there to there is so steep, so slippery, you’re there [the bottom of the pit] before you even know it. You slipped down and you are there and it’s hard to get back up. You are worthy of stopping there. Do not throw away your self-esteem; do not throw yourself away from this point. Go backwards from here. Build yourself from here! Your dreams and achievements now mean more than a press of a button.” ( F, 52 , PRG)


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Experiencing and constructing mixed emotional messages – insights from the participants •

“Fear alone is probably not enough; you need to give them [gamblers] something to work towards or some way to change their behavior: If you scare someone first and then

entice them with a positive way of solving their problems, something they can target and look forward, that’s probably more effective than just trying to scare them to

change their behavior and seek help.” (F, 48, MRG)


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Experiencing and constructing mixed emotional messages: Perceived susceptibility to the threats in the gambling context •

Social/psychological threats emerged as the most commonly shared among the majority of participants.

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Some participants mentioned separation, divorce, losing property, or significant financial debt as relevant and realistic threats to be portrayed in the advertising.

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Examples include: “isolation and being deserted by everybody”, “loss of selfesteem,” “loss of identity”, “feeling emotionally and physically sick,” “loss of trust as nobody believes you anymore”.

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Loss of personal control over excessive gambling was especially impactful threat for some participants. One participant described such loss of control as “feeling trapped, stuck, and desperate.”(M, 45, PG )


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Experiencing and constructing mixed emotional messages: Perceived benefits of help seeking in the gambling context •

Help seeking in the advertisement should be linked to personally and socially positive consequences, positive expectations of mastery achievement and problem issue confrontation.

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Realistic perceived benefits of help seeking in the gambling context emerged to be intrinsically motivating (e.g., better psychological well-being, increased self-esteem).


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Experiencing and constructing mixed emotional messages: Perceived benefits of help seeking in the gambling context For example some participants mentioned that “the reason to seek help” in the message can be linked to: •

“re-connection with children and closed ones”, and “family reunion”;

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“start of work”;

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“changed lifestyle with the exploration of positive dimensions in life”;

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“new identity”, “acquired self-worth and self–esteem”;

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“setting myself free”;

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“second chance in life to be lived with honesty and integrity.”


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Perceived benefits and challenge appraisal •

Message statements incorporating challenge attributes such as personal achievement benefits (“you can turn your life around”), mastery of one’s life (“get yourself out of gambling and win your life back”), and encouragement to battle the problem issue (“Do not let gambling win –you still can beat it !”) were perceived as “positive”, “encouraging”, “relevant and hopeful,” “strong”, “exciting” and “uplifting to someone wanting to try” by some participants.


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Self-accountability and response efficacy •

Some respondents mentioned that they may be reluctant to seek help and may feel intimidated by the social stigma attached to their gambling status, despite the fact that the positive expectations of help seeking outlined in the message.

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In order to prompt gamblers to enquire about specialised services (such as counselling), the advertisement should normalise help-seeking.

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One way of normalising help-seeking is to show in the advertisement that the initiative to seek professional help comes from the gamblers themselves.


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Self-accountability •

“I am getting myself out of gambling. It’s OK to ask HOW!”-would be a more encouraging message. Try to personalise the message, because it’s ME talking. I am not being talked down. I am not being told what to do. It is my own decision.”(M, 63, PG)

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“Show more the consequences of what you are doing. Think about people external to you that may be affected by your gambling. It will make you feel responsible for the situation” (M, 34, MRG)

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“We have to learn from the message to “tap ourselves on the shoulder” and seek help.” (F , 45, PRG)


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Response efficacy •

However, igniting self-accountability for help-seeking may not be enough to prompt respondents for action.

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Respondents acknowledged that in the gambling context, professional help is an essential component of recovery and provides an opportunity of treatment in a supportive environment.

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The message cues and action steps suggested by the respondents included information about readily-available specialised help executed professionally, anonymously and non-judgmentally.

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Without clearly delineated action steps (e.g. response efficacy) the advertisement would leave respondents anxious, and unable to reach any resolution.


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Response efficacy

“ You cannot change this [problem gambling] without help, you cannot do it alone. You have to get yourself into an environment that is stabilising and supportive and it’s not always the family, because they are very hurt.” (F, 56 , PG) “Tell me in the ads that there is someone who can actually help me and it’s[help] got to be readily available.” (M, 48, PG) “I would also put in my message: Hey, do you know that it’s [problem gambling] a treatable condition? Do not wait - Go there, or call them[ counselling] and seek help. “(M, 28, MRG)


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Summary of Findings

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Perceived susceptibility to loss of personal control over excessive gambling was amongst the most impactful threats for majority of our focus group participants and translates into fearful emotional responses when advertisement scenario depicts feeling of being “trapped.”

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Realistic and meaningful perceived benefits of help seeking in the gambling context emerged to be intrinsically motivating (e.g., better psychological wellbeing, “ set yourself free” “second chance in life”, increased self-esteem, “identity found”).

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Appraisal of relevant positive expectations and perceived benefits of helpseeking evoked emotions associated with challenge (e.g. hopeful, inspired, determined)

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Moreover, this research highlights the importance of response efficacy and self-accountability constructs. Notably, personalised messages (I am getting out of gambling. It’s OK to ask how) might enhance self-accountability for, and normalization of, help-seeking behaviour. Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Study limitations and future research •

Research findings may not be representative and are not generalizable

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Small sample size (43 participants) was geographically restricted , participants of Caucasian background.

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“Group think syndrome”, or “positive self-representation”

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Further research is required to investigate mixed emotional appeals in a number of contexts, drawing on larger samples of consumers.

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Quantitative research should produce more generalizable findings. Quantitative research should test the causality of the relationships outlined in the current conceptual model.

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Gender based difference, individual consumer characteristics and a-priory differences . Life Impact The University of Adelaide

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Thank you for your attention !

Contact details: [email protected]

List of references is available upon request


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Reference List Slide 5 •

Immordino-Yang, M. H., and Damasio, A. 2007. "We Feel, Therefore We Learn: The Relevance of Affective and Social Neuroscience to Education. " Mind, Brain, and Education 1(1): 3-10.

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Marcus, G., MacKuen M., and Neuman W. 2011. "Parsimony and Complexity: Developing and Testing Theories of Affective Intelligence. " Political Psychology 32(2): 323-336.

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Blanchette, I., and Richards, A. 2010. "The Influence of Affect on Higher Level Cognition: A Review of Research on Interpretation, Judgement, Decision Making and Reasoning. " Cognition & Emotion 24(4): 561-595.

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Aaker, J., Drolet, A., and Griffin, D. 2008. "Recalling Mixed Emotions. " Journal of Consumer Research 35(2): 268-278.


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Reference list Slide 5 cont. •

Larsen, J. T., and McGraw, A. P. 2011. "Further Evidence for Mixed Emotions. " Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 100(6): 1095-1110.

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Lazarus, R. S., Kanner, D. A., and Folkman, S. 1980. "Emotions: A CognitivePhenomenological Analysis". In R. Plutchik & H. Kellerman (Eds.), “Emotion: Theory, Research, and Experience.” New York, Oxford: Oxford University press.

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Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and Adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.

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Larsen, J. T., Hemenover, S. H., Norris, C. J., and Cacioppo, J. T. 2003. "Turning Adversity to Advantage: On the Virtues of the Coactivation of Positive and Negative Emotions". In L. G. Aspinwall & U. M. Staudinger (Eds.), A Psychology of Human Strengths:Fundamental Questions and Future Directions for a Positive Psychology,. Washington, DC: The American Psychological Association.


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Slide 6 •

Passyn, K., and Sujan, M. 2006. "Self-Accountability Emotions and Fear Appeals: Motivating Behavior. " Journal of Consumer Research 32(4): 583-589.

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Lang, A., Sanders-Jackson, A., Wang, Z., and Rubenking, B. 2013. "Motivated Message Processing: How Motivational Activation Influences Resource Allocation, Encoding, and Storage of Tv Messages. " Motivation and Emotion 37(3): 508-517.

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Wang, Z., Solloway, T., Tchernev, J. M., and Barker, B. 2012. "Dynamic Motivational Processing of Antimarijuana Messages: Coactivation Begets Attention. " Human Communication Research 38(4): 485-509.


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Slide 7 •

Ordoñana, J. R., González-Javier, F., Espín-López, L., and Gómez-Amor, J. 2009. "SelfReport and Psychophysiological Responses to Fear Appeals. " Human Communication Research 35(2): 195-220.

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Munoz, Y., Chebat, J.-C., and Suissa, J. 2010. "Using Fear Appeals in Warning Labels to Promote Responsible Gambling among Vlt Players: The Key Role of Depth of Information Processing. " Journal of Gambling Studies 26(4): 593-609.

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Brown, S. L., and Smith, E. Z. 2007. "The Inhibitory Effect of a Distressing Anti-Smoking Message on Risk Perceptions in Smokers. " Psychology & Health 22(3): 255-268.

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Diehr, P., Hannon, P., Pizacani, B., Forehand, M., Meischke, H., Curry, S., Martin, D. P., Weaver, M. R., and Harris, J. 2011. "Social Marketing, Stages of Change, and Public Health Smoking Interventions. " Health Education & Behavior 38(2): 123-131.

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Nielsen, J., and Shapiro, S. 2009. "Coping with Fear through Suppression and Avoidance of Threatening Information. " Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 15(3): 258-274. Kessels, L. T. E., Ruiter, R. A. C., and Jansma, B. M. 2010. "Increased Attention but More Efficient Disengagement: Neuroscientific Evidence for Defensive Processing of Threatening Health Information. " Health Psychology 29(4): 346-354.


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Slide 8 •

Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological Stress and the Coping Process. New York: McGraw Hill.

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Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and Adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.

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Schneider, T. R., Rivers, S. E., and Lyons, J. B. 2009. "The Biobehavioral Model of Persuasion: Generating Challenge Appraisals to Promote Health. " Journal of Applied Social Psychology 39(8): 1928-1952.

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Smith, C. A., and Kirby, L. D. 2009. "Relational Antecedents of Appraised Problem-Focused Coping Potential and Its Associated Emotions. " Cognition & Emotion 23(3): 481-503.


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Slide 9 and 10 •

Eagly, A. H., and Chaiken, S. (1993). The Psychology of Attitudes. Orlando, FL US: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.

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Griffin, R. J., Neuwirth, K., Giese, J., and Dunwoody, S. 2002. "Linking the HeuristicSystematic Model and Depth of Processing. " Communication Research 29(6): 705-732.

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Averbeck, J. M., Jones, A., and Robertson, K. 2011. "Prior Knowledge and Health Messages: An Examination of Affect as Heuristics and Information as Systematic Processing for Fear Appeals. " Southern Communication Journal 76(1): 35-54.

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Arthur, D., and Quester, P. 2004. "Who's Afraid of That Ad? Applying Segmentation to the Protection Motivation Model. " Psychology & Marketing 21(9): 671-696.


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