Increasing the persuasiveness of anti-drunk driving appeals: The effect of negative and positive message framing

Abstract A number of mass media campaigns encouraging anti-drunk driving (ADD) behavior have been implemented over the past several decades. However, the messaging within most of the current ADD advertising campaigns focuses on the negative effects on impaired drivers. Alternatively, the use of positive and targeted messages may be equally as effective and, under certain situations and for certain groups of people, can be even more persuasive than the use of negative messages. Moreover, this paper examines how the effectiveness of positive and negative ADD messages can be improved when targeting specific segments of people. Two experiments were conducted which revealed that promotion-focused individuals are motivated primarily by positive ADD messages, whereas prevention-focused individuals are motivated primarily by negative ADD messages. Furthermore, it was found that individuals who focus on immediate consequences are more easily persuaded by instant gratification rather than by pain. As for future consequences, both positive and negative consequences will be discounted and the persuasive differences between them will be reduced.