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Business Review - Fear-Based Marketing

Meredith David, Associate Professor of Marketing, shares when fear-based marketing can be an effective messing tool. 

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SUCCESSFUL MARKETING OFTEN USES HUMAN NATURE TO SELL A MESSAGE OR PRODUCT.  MEREDITH DAVID, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MARKETING, STUDIED COVID MESSAGING TO DISCOVER WHAT ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUALS TO ENGAGE IN PREVENTATIVE BEHAVIOURS.
 
“So our model predicts that it comes down to fear of COVID. It's really the fear of COVID this driving people to engage in preventive behaviors. And the reasoning behind that is that fear of COVID leads people to be more receptive for information related to COVID. They're more willing to go out and actually search for COVID related information.”
 
DAVID SAYS FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT FEAR MESSAGING CAN BE APPLIED IN OTHER AREAS TOO SUCH AS SMARTPHONE ADDICTIONS, AND FINANCIAL SITUATIONS.  
 
“Before people jump to conclusions and bash the use of fear as a marketing technique, it's actually very useful and effective in certain situations. For example, fear of bankruptcy could lead to a company or a manager engaging in more preventive behaviors.”  
 
“Now, there is a balance there, right?  You want the moderate level of fear, such that it just encourages people to be more receptive to information and to actually go and seek out the accurate information regarding the health preventative behaviors.  So, at the end of the day, it's that fear of COVID that's driving people to even seek out the information and learn about the preventative behaviors and then actually engage in those preventative behaviors.”
 
 
“BUSINESS REVIEW” IS A PRODUCTION OF LIVINGSTON & MCKAY AND THE HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY. 
 

C.J. Jackson drives on sunshine and thrives on family, NPR and PBS. She is the assistant dean of communications and marketing at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business and host of public radio’s “Business Review.” Previously, she was director of marketing communications for a large, multinational corporation. C.J. has two daughters—Bri in San Antonio and Devon in Chicago—and four grandchildren. She lives with a little yellow cat named for an ancient Hawaiian tripping weapon.