Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 24, 2008

Revising TV Ads To Relay Anti-Smoking Message
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=2090543:A6F02AD83191E160FF23C61CF74EFC41A13B8D4F2090AB2B&
 
Study shows how viewers react to ads 
In November, the American Cancer Society sets aside a day it calls "The
Great American Smokeout". The smokeout is designed to encourage smokers
to quit for one day. In addition to the smokeout, researchers have been
trying to find a more effective way of discouraging people from using
tobacco products. In this report, Carol Pearson looks at the effect of
anti-tobacco ads.

Some of the ads use disturbing images to play on young people's fears of
contracting a tobacco-related disease Anti-tobacco commercials have been
around on television for decades. Their purpose is simple: to encourage
people to quit smoking or not ever start.

Some of these ads, directed at young people, use disturbing images or
play on their fears of contracting a tobacco-related disease.
Researchers at the University of Missouri looked at how viewers of these
ads absorb the message. Paul Bolls and fellow researcher Glenn Leshner
at the University of Missouri studied the effects of repulsive images in
the ads watched by young people. By attaching electrodes to their facial
muscles and monitoring their heart rates, they measured their
responses."The combination of telling individuals that tobacco kills you
and trying to intensify that fear with disgust-evoking images
backfires," Bolls said. The study took place at the university
laboratory which evaluates the effect that information portrayed in the
media has on people. 

By attaching electrodes to their facial muscles and monitoring their
heart rates, the researchers measured their responses"What happens in
this case I think is that emotional response is increased so much that
people actually withdraw from the message, so anything really that
occurs after the point at which they withdraw is not going to be
remembered."The researchers found that the viewer's attention and
recollection increased when the ad was limited to either a repulsive
image or something that evoked fear. Ads that had a combination of both
were overwhelming.


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