Abstract
This study provides a comparative analysis of advertising appeals in static anti-smoking advertisements in the U.K. from the 1990s to the 2020s, using quantitative content analysis. The research evaluates print and online display advertisements, focusing on the prevalence of rational (gain-framed and statistical) and emotional (fear and guilt) appeals. The study investigates shifts in appeal usage over time and the broader societal and regulatory influences driving these changes. Findings indicate a strategic shift in public health messaging, moving from fear-based appeals in the 1990s to increased reliance on gain-framed appeals by the 2020s. This study enhances academic understanding of how advertising appeals have evolved in response to media transformations, government regulations, and social attitudes.
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DOI
10.20429/jamt.2025.120106
Publication Date
5-2025
First Page
99
Last Page
123
Recommended Citation
Adebare, A. and Nash, J. (2025). A comparative analysis of advertising appeals in anti-smoking advertisements (print and online display ads) from the 1990s to 2020s in the U.K. Journal of Applied Marketing Theory, 12(1), 99-123. ISSN: 2151-3236.
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