Suppose that you work for the advertising division of a car company, and that you and your team are reviewing advertisements for a new safety feature. You are deciding between an ad with a low-fear message (which simply mentions the feature without demonstrating it), an ad with a moderate-fear message (which shows how the feature can help drivers avert accidents), and an ad with a high-fear message (which shows a horrific collision resulting from driving in a car without the feature). All else being equal, research on fear-based messaging would suggest that you should air ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research on fear-based messaging suggests that a moderate-fear message is more effective than both low-fear and high-fear messages. The moderate-fear ad shows how the safety feature can help drivers avert accidents, which is more persuasive than simply mentioning the feature in a low-fear ad, but not as overwhelming as the high-fear ad, which may cause too much anxiety and turn off the audience. Therefore, the best choice would be to air the moderate-fear ad.

Suppose That You Work for the Advertising Division of a Car