Publication
A Content Analysis of Persuasive Appeals Used in Media Campaigns to Encourage and Discourage Sugary Beverages and Water in the United States
Publisher:
MDPI AG
Date:
13-07-2023
DOI:
10.3390/IJERPH20146359
Abstract: The frequent consumption of sugary beverages is associated with many health risks. This study examined how persuasive appeals and graphics were used in different media c aigns to encourage and discourage sugary beverages and water in the United States (U.S.) The investigators developed a codebook, protocol and systematic process to conduct a qualitative content analysis for 280 media c aigns organized into a typology with six categories. SPSS version 28.0 was used to analyze rational and emotional appeals (i.e., positive, negative, coactive) for c aign slogans, taglines and graphic images (i.e., symbols, colors, audiences) for 60 unique c aigns across the typology. Results showed that positive emotional appeals were used more to promote sugary beverages in corporate advertising and marketing (64.7%) and social responsibility c aigns (68.8%), and less to encourage water in social marketing c aigns (30%). In contrast, public awareness c aigns used negative emotional appeals (48.1%), and advocacy c aigns combined rational (30%) and emotional positive (50%) and negative appeals (30%). Public policy c aigns used rational (82.6%) and positive emotional appeals (73.9%) to motivate support or opposition for sugary beverage tax legislation. Chi-square analyses assessed the relationships between the U.S. media c aign typology categories and graphic elements that revealed three variables with significant associations between the c aign typology and race/ethnicity (χ2(103) = 32.445, p = 0.039), content (χ2(103) = 70.760, p 0.001) and product image (χ2(103) = 11.930, p = 0.036). Future research should examine how positive persuasive appeals in text and graphics can promote water to reduce sugary beverage health risks.