Advertising Execution Styles Matter - A Fear-Based Experiment on Attitude, Susceptibility, Efficacy and Behaviour

This study investigates whether different fear based advertising execution styles will result in significantly different levels of fear, attitude, susceptibility, efficacy and behavioural intent. A sample of 450 respondents participated in an experimental study. Three fear based execution styles, namely: slice-of-life, factual and testimonial, were tested by means of a post-test self administered questionnaire. The findings support the notion that the continuation of mass market communication strategies will prove to be ineffective to alter behaviour. More importantly this study provides evidence that different execution styles within advertisements will result in different levels of fear, attitude, susceptibility, efficacy and behavioural intent. Adding to this, there is support that certain execution styles may be better suited to different groups in terms of evoking protective behaviour.