Using COVID-19 Symbols in Anti-Smoking Fear Appeal Advertisements for Encouraging Smoking Cessation among Israeli Smokers

Iris Gavish and Yossi Gavish
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Iris Gavish: Faculty of Business Administration, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono 5545173, Israel
Yossi Gavish: Faculty of Business Administration, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono 5545173, Israel

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-12

Abstract: The current study aims to reveal whether using COVID-19 as the threatening message in anti-smoking ads will influence smokers differently than other threat appeals. All ads that were chosen for this study were created by the Israel Cancer Association/the Israeli Ministry of Health. Since the coronavirus has proven to have far-reaching effects on the human respiratory system, it is directly connected to smoking. The present study included semi-structured in-depth interviews with experts, a pre-test ( n = 106) and an online questionnaire including 721 participants (adults aged 18–30 versus 55+). The findings indicated that when using the COVID-19 symbol as the threatening message in an anti-smoking ad for the older participants, smoking cessation intentions were higher than when using a cigarette simulating a ‘gunpoint’ threat ( p < 0.08). Additionally, when using the COVID-19 symbol, there was a positive relation between participants’ age and smoking cessation intentions. The average smoking cessation intention for the participants from the older age group ( M = 3.05, SD = 1.07) was higher than the average for the participants from the young age group ( M = 2.80, SD = 1.13). Finally, when using impotence (for men) and pregnancy risks (for women) as the threatening message in the ads for young respondents, smoking cessation intentions were higher than when using COVID-19 ( p < 0.05). The results may help decision-makers and public health officials in choosing the marketing communication suited for conveying messages aimed to encourage people to reduce/quit smoking.

Keywords: fear appeals; threatening message; health behavior; COVID-19; anti-smoking advertisements (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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