Magdalena Cismaru

Social marketing campaigns aimed at preventing drunk driving

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of social marketing programs in preventing drunk driving, and how protection motivation theory (PMT) can be used to create effective anti drunk driving communications.Design/methodology/approach – Communication and program materials aimed at reducing drunk driving were identified and gathered from English‐language websites from the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, and a qualitative review was conducted.Findings – The review provides a description of the key themes and messages being used in anti drunk driving campaigns, as well as target population, campaign components, and sources of funding. A key facet of this review is the examination of the use of PMT in social marketing campaigns designed to prevent drunk driving.Originality/value – The review presents social marketing campaigns aimed at preventing drunk driving in English‐speaking countries, and shows that PMT can be successfully used in this context. The paper provides a guide ...

Marketing communications and protection motivation theory: Examining consumer decision-making

Findings from the literature onProtection Motivation Theory (PMT) show that variables proposed within the PMT model(vulnerability, severity, efficacy, andcosts) have an impact on persuasion measures; however, little is known about the manner in which these variables are considered by the consumer. Exploratory research was conducted into the decision-making process to determine the sources of information used (i.e., whether the decision is mostly stimulus -or memory-based) and the variables considered (i.e., whether all the PMT variables are evaluated by the consumer even in the absence of information provided in the communication, and how much thought is put in the evaluation of each of the PMT variables).Findings show a predominantly stimulus based decision, where the information provided in the stimulus ad determines which memories are retrieved and which variables are considered in the decision-making process.

“Act on Climate Change”: An Application of Protection Motivation Theory

Our planets climate is changing (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010), and current scientific evidence proves that global climate change is induced by humans (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007). Many scientists agree that climate change is one of the greatest threats faced by our planet. The climate change literature demonstrates that fear appeals can be used to encourage behavioral changes that will mitigate climate change (Nisbet, 2009; Patchen, 2006; Pike, Doppelt, & Herr, 2010). This article proposes Protection Motivation Theory (PMT; Rogers, 1983) as a suitable model to guide communication campaigns in the area of climate change. It also analyzes the extent to which a series of communication campaigns that are designed to persuade individuals to adopt behaviors that prevent climate change conform to PMT. Recommendations to improve the campaigns are presented.

Alcohol consumption among young consumers: a review and recommendations

Purpose – This paper aims to examine social marketing programs aimed at preventing or moderating alcohol consumption among young consumers. It seeks to show how protection motivation theory can be used as a theoretical framework to create effective communications targeting young people.Design/methodology/approach – Communication materials aimed at preventing or moderating alcohol consumption among young people were identified and gathered from web sites in five English‐speaking countries (USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK). A qualitative review of these materials was conducted.Findings – A majority of the alcohol moderation/prevention campaigns targeting young consumers followed the tenets of protection motivation theory by focusing on the threat variables of severity and vulnerability. Some campaigns also focused on costs, as well as self‐efficacy and response efficacy.Research limitations/implications – Only English‐language materials and materials targeting young consumers have been consi...

Understanding Health Behavior: An Integrated Model for Social Marketers

Many effective social marketing campaigns seek to change health-related behavior by utilizing various health-protective behavioral theories. In this article, we review and integrate three such theories: protection motivation theory (PMT), the extended parallel process model (EPPM), and the transtheoretical model (TTM). We highlight how EPPM and TTM can be used to refine PMT by adding insight into the decision-making process involved when consumers consider whether or not to follow a particular recommended health behavior. Specifically, the development of an integrated PMT model can provide insight into the characteristics of people more or less likely to change, what happens when persuasion fails, and what can be done to increase persuasion. Developing an integrated PMT model opens new avenues of research that have the potential to increase our understanding of behavior and assist in creating more persuasive social marketing campaigns.

Don't suffer in silence: Applying the integrated model for social marketers to campaigns targeting victims of domestic violence

We conducted a review and analysis of multicomponent social marketing campaigns targeting victims of domestic violence, which were gathered from a variety of websites in five English-speaking countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. We examined the degree to which these campaigns conform to the Integrated Model for Social Marketers developed by Cismaru, Lavack, Hadjistavropoulos, and Dorsch (2008). This model describes the variables salient in each stage of behavioral change and provides a description of the most effective strategies for persuasion. Key recommendations for enhancing future initiatives targeting victims of domestic violence suggest that it is important to emphasize the benefits of changing, as well as to convince victims of domestic violence that they can improve their lives.

Interaction effects and combinatorial rules governing Protection Motivation Theory variables: a new model

In this article we provide a review of Protection Motivation Theory with a focus on the interaction effects and combinatorial rules, in order to resolve conflicting findings in the literature. Our review suggests that perceived cost is the main driver of persuasion. We propose that consumers use a combination of decision-making strategies, with an initial use of the elimination by aspects rule followed by the weighted additive rule. In the proposed model, consumers rank the variables and set minimum cut-offs. A weighted additive relationship takes place only when and if the minimum cut-off levels for variables are met. This analysis helps explain inconsistent findings from the literature and adds insight into the decision-making process involved when consumers consider whether or not to follow a particular recommended health behavior.

Campaigns Targeting Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health concern with significant physical, emotional, and economic costs. Persuading IPV perpetrators to change their behavior could play an important role in ending violence. This article reviews and analyzes 16 campaigns targeting IPV perpetrators, created in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Two well-known models, the Transtheoretical (Stages of Change) model and Protection Motivation theory (PMT), are combined to create the analytical framework. For each stage of change, the most salient PMT variables are outlined, the people found in that stage are described, and the most effective strategies for persuasion are posited. Together, these two models would suggest that future campaigns targeting IPV perpetrators should place a stronger emphasis on the benefits of changing and place a greater focus on increasing perpetrators’ confidence that they can abstain from violence.

If the Noise Coming from Next Door were Loud Music, You'd Do Something About It

Up to one-third of intimate partner violence incidents involve witnesses. Bystanders play a significant role when it comes to reporting the incidents to authorities, but are often hesitant to get involved in domestic disputes. In this review paper, 12 advertising campaigns that encourage bystander intervention against intimate partner violence are evaluated in relation to Latané and Darleys (1970) model of the bystander decision-making process. The evaluation shows that these campaigns are sometimes contradictory or ambiguous, which may limit their effectiveness. Recommendations are provided.

Social marketing campaigns aimed at preventing and controlling obesity: a review and recommendations

We examined the role of social marketing programs in preventing and controlling obesity, by identifying and gathering anti-obesity communication materials and program materials from a variety of English-language websites around the world. A qualitative analysis of these materials revealed many anti-obesity programs and campaigns running in the USA and Canada, and a few in Australia and the UK. Our review provides a description of the key themes and messages being used in anti-obesity campaigns, including food guides and physical activity guidelines, and discusses how the campaigns agree with theProtection Motivation Theory. In addition, the review compares sources of funding, campaign components, and target population. Recommendations for practitioners are provided.