The second half of this present year was full of big events. First, the British people decided to leave the European Union and Now the United States people decide to have Mr. Trump as a president. Big decisions, but what about the outcomes? For The Brexit, we saw the Pound's value decreasing to levels never reached before, Businesses thinking of relocation, people protesting "Brigret" and the government is still uncertain whether to trigger the article 50 or find a way to regain the European Union before it is too late. The second event is quite new, how successful the united state will be under Mr. Trump presidency cannot be predicted at this stage.
What concerns me the most and what I wanted to share with you in this article is on which basis those decisions have been taken? In my opinion, Fear appeal advertising has something to do here?
Let’s find out first what it is. Then I will outline how fear can be a major motivation in decision-making.
Very few months before the Brexit vote, Supporters and both sides were very much engaged in social media and a large number of videos have been shared. I remember the video which was showing people from many different European Union members kissing each other and showing their support to each other and how much they care about the UK as a member. I also remember the videos showing the lady asking Mr. Cameron about ISIS and how being part of the European Union can be an easy way to reach the UK. I also recall the guy inside the train who threw a bottle to another English guy just because he looked a bit different. Also, a video in which people were accusing people from different countries of stealing their jobs ... and the list go on.
During the presidential campaign, we sew many videos condemning the people from different countries, who looks different, who worship different, and who have different beliefs, many articles, long and short videos went viral.
These events turned the way they did for one and only cause, Each participant or party uses what the environment, the circumstances, the social concerns and issues even if not apparent, they might highlight them to strengthen their positions and increase their chances to win. Accepted or inappropriate the fear appeals in advertising have been and will be always used in somehow. I believe that making people feel guilty, ashamed or just fill them with fear and anger might influence their choices highly and I also think that this strategy has been used for both these events.
To motive people to deliberately comply with certain requirements and to incentivize certain socially necessary behaviors such as fastening seat belt, avoid drinking in public, wearing helmets, reducing sugar intakes and so forth. Governments or non-profit organizations use social marketing. This concept - even if widely used among families, by the parents for instance when they say "If you climb this tree, you will fall and break a leg"- started with Kotler and other researchers and professors few decades ago and kept growing over time. In social marketing and precisely when it comes to compliance motivation, three popular social marketing appeals are known to have high capacity to encourage compliant behaviours "fear, Guilt and shame". These appeals might be informal or emotional, positive or negative, usually used in advertising to call the sense of duty and concern in the population. Moreover, these appeals are commonly used in a way to show clearly and directly the benefit of the action.
While some doubt is still present among practitioners in this field, whether truly compliance motivation calls to action is an effective strategy. Certain studies confirm that negative appeals generate emotional imbalance which the person can correct through a commitment to the desired (advertised) behavior. The best ads would be the one focused on emotions. Negative emotions are known to create and increase psychic discomforts. With this unbalance within the self, people have incentives to act as required hoping that this discomfort will disappear afterward.
The Brexit ads were centered on jobs opportunities that people from other countries benefit from, the number of immigrants from Europe and many other countries, fear from ISIS and Islamic groups and so on, the Brexiters concentrated their efforts around providing for families and getting sufficient benefits.
Same with the US vote, Mr Trump top promises are, build a wall between US and Mexico to prevent emigrant from reaching the US, Ban Muslims from entering the country, cut taxes and fight terrorists.
Both events advertising efforts main focus was around providing for people personal and financial security, well-being and safety and if you are familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you will find out that making people afraid of losing these primary needs will create a psychic unbalance within them and automatically increase the chances to act as requested.
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