Fear and persuasion in public health discourse: The case of CDC anti-smoking campaigns

Fear has long been recognised as a potent tool for persuasive communication. A plethora of research has examined the role of fear appeals in influencing the target audience. However, scant attention has been given to the choice of persuasive strategies used to craft fear messages, particularly in the public health domain. This study aims to bridge the gap in the literature by examining the prevalence of fear strategies and the interplay between persuasion and fear in an anti-smoking campaign, drawing on Aristotle’s persuasion theory and Fear Appeals by Witte and Allen (2000). Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative, descriptive content analysis to examine how fear-based persuasive strategies are constructed in the CDC’s press releases. A qualitative analysis was conducted on a corpus of 27 press releases issued between 2012 and 2024 as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Tips From Former Smokers campaign. The analysis reveals five predominant fear strategies utilised by the CDC in their press releases: fear-induced narratives, health-hazard emphasis, statistics, expert endorsement, and urgency. These strategies enhance the CDC's message by amplifying fear appeals, thereby altering smokers' current behaviours and attitudes. This study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the strategies adopted in crafting fear appeals in anti-smoking campaigns and how fear patterns shape individuals’ behavioural change against smoking tobacco.