Rational Vs emotional appeals in social marketing for effective AIDS campaigns/communications

Abstract

HIV/AIDS has emerged as the greatest public health challenge in contemporary times. In the vast majority of affected countries, the primary route of transmission is sexual. However, transmission by injection drug use has fuelled the epidemic in other parts of the world as well including India. Today the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to advance at a relentless pace. Given the lack of a vaccine or cure, behavioural and attitudinal change is the only means to curb the further spread of this epidemic. There are many strategies in place to curb this epidemic all over the world and several initiatives have been taken in this context with emphasis on changing of attitude through effective communication. This study focuses on different types of appeals which can be used in communication and how each type is effective in making a mark thus influencing behavioural change. The experiments conducted during the study provide evidence as to how appeals can be effectively used along with communication strategies to make an impact. The initial global response to HIV/AIDS was based on the assumption that self awareness of risk behaviours and knowledge about modes of prevention would suffice to stop the spread if the virus. Thus in response, many countries have instituted prevention efforts focused on the ABCs: abstinence, being faithful, and condom use. Though this approach met with success in the developed nations like United States and those of Western Europe, it did not produce the expected results in third world countries characterised by lack of access and adverse social environments. While the public health approach of risk reduction needed to be strengthened, it was clearly not sufficient. To be effective, risk reduction programmes had to be implemented in tandem with other programmes which increased the capacity and autonomy of people vulnerable to infection This paper sheds light on different types of appeals (rational and emotional) which can be used along with social marketing and communication and measures the effectiveness of each type of appeal in making a mark thus influencing behavioural change.