The appropriateness of fear appeal use for health care marketing to the elderly: Is it OK to scare granny?

Abstract

Marketing. Second and third authors contributed equally to this article.ethical consideration in advertising and marketing: the use of fear appeals, marketing to the elderly, and the marketing of health care services and products. Issues relevant to using fear appeals in promoting health care issues m the elderly are explored with a consumer psychologist's theoretical view of fear appeals. Next the assumption of the elderly market's vulnerability and indicants of social or psychological function which would differentiate the elderly recipients of marketing communications are examined both in terms of function and ethical concerns.Overall, our review of the theoretical underpinnings of fear-based communication and the psychological characteristics does not indicate that the elderly of today are particularly vulnerable. While the elderly are probably somewhat more dogmatic than younger consumers and perhaps view outcomes from the perspective of their age, there are no indications that their psychological responses to fearbased appeals differ significantly from those of younger consumers.

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Fear appeals in social marketing: Strategic and ethical reasons for concern

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