This week in class we discussed ways to help get our message as health communicators across to our target population. We discussed ways that advertisers use - does sex, beauty, fame and money sound familiar to anyone? Obviously that technique is effective but is it something we should be using as health communicators? Part of me feels that if it is going to grab the attnetion of people them yes, we should utilize these tools. But are we manipulating our popluation?
We also did a lab in class that got us thinking about planning health communication campaigns. Our group was working with teens and physical avtivty. We chose to target 8th grade females and so of course we chose Hannah Montana as our spokeswoman.
For those of you that do not know who she is I've posted a picture above! Of course it is not realistic that a celebrity would always be the source of the message. But wouldn't it be great if we had the means to have a well-know, influential person be a part of our messages. Maybe it wouldn't always lead to a behavior change but it sure would grab people's attention. So if sex, beauty, fame, and money are effective tools for advertisers, who says they can't be effective for health communicators?
3 comments:
Sometimes drastic measures are meant to be used in drastic situations. I feel using celebrities to get a message across is fine as long as that celebrity has the reputation which fits the message. The Mariska Hagarity commercial for the campaign against childhood obesity is a fine example.
Advertisers and marketing pros know they have a limited time frame (usually only 30 seconds) to grab our attention and sell us on an idea or product. They will often pay huge sums of money for the opportunity, so they use symbols, celebrities, and yes sex, to grab our attention.
Advertising and other promotions, including public service announcements, are intended to solicit a behavioral response from the recipient, but I would not call it manipulation. These ads still require a conscious response or action on the part of the listener/viewer to achieve their intended outcome.
Pairing the right spokesperson with the right product or cause to reach your target audience is one key to an effective promotion.
It seems that the old adage "If you can't beat 'um, join 'um" is appropriate. We live in a culture where many parents have relinquished their responsibility establish good morals and model positive behavior to the latest "it" person. Celebrity rules - so I say use what works. If that is sex, beauty and fame, so be it.
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