A comparative analysis of advertising appeals in anti-smoking advertisements (print and online display ads) from the 1990s to 2020s in the U.K.

Authors: Nash, J. and Adebare, A.

Journal: Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Volume: 12

Issue: 1

Pages: 99

ISSN: 2151-3236

DOI: 10.20429/jamt.2025.120106

Abstract:

This study provides a comparative analysis of advertising appeals in static anti-smoking advertisements in the U.K. from the 1990s to the 2020s, using quantitative content analysis. The research evaluates print and online display advertisements, focusing on the prevalence of rational (gain-framed and statistical) and emotional (fear and guilt) appeals. The study investigates shifts in appeal usage over time and the broader societal and regulatory influences driving these changes. Findings indicate a strategic shift in public health messaging, moving from fear-based appeals in the 1990s to increased reliance on gain-framed appeals by the 2020s. This study enhances academic understanding of how advertising appeals have evolved in response to media transformations, government regulations, and social attitudes.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/41070/

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/jamt/vol12/iss1/6/

Source: Manual