○Rather than being the domain of aging TV stars, A-list celebrities endorsing health care products has become a positive trend, promoting health products from vitamins to diabetic supplies to an older demographic. Lady Gaga, who suffers from migraines, has signed a deal with pharmaceutical company Pfizer's Nurtec ODT, a prescription drug to treat migraines. “This Is Us” actor Mandy Moore has signed a deal with Incyte to promote the eczema treatment Opzelura. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is currently being talked about as Taylor Swift's current beau, is the newest and most talked-about pharmaceutical company spokesperson. In a campaign promoted by Pfizer, he is encouraging people to “two-fer,” or get the coronavirus shot and flu shot at the same time.
But here's the problem with Kelce and Pfizer (and it's not trash talk from Jets QB and anti-vaxxer Aaron Rodgers): Celebrity endorsements to promote health behavior change are not what you think they are, at least not what you think they are. It doesn't work the way it is.
“Selling” health is not the same as selling shoes. Classic research on health campaign design shows that the tactics used to effectively promote health behaviors are not the same as those used to sell the “latest and greatest” consumer products. Shown.
Health is a very personal and private matter. Our health includes not only our quality of life, but also all our fears and weaknesses. HIPAA supports our concern that when our very personal aspects fall into the wrong hands, our lives can be affected, from employment to insurance coverage and more. .
Research shows that when it comes to our health, motivating behavior change is difficult. Basically, it's hard to convince us to do something different if we haven't already chosen to do that behavior. We tend to discount, discredit, or ignore suggestions that go against our current actions and interests, and even to our own detriment.
Of course, the medical community is always striving to come up with new ways to enter this volatile market. For vaccines that save lives, it is essential to reach those who are hesitant. However, this audience is highly suspicious and resistant to being “sold” anything, whether it's a pill or a vaccine. Convincing them to change their health behaviors is truly Sisyphean.
But it's not impossible. Messages should not only explain the benefits of the behavior, but also effectively reduce objections and increase confidence in successful behavior change. More importantly, all of this work must be done by reliable sources that this audience can trust. They must believe that their publicists understand health and medicine. If you fail on any of these points, you lose consumers. Health messaging aimed at changing health behaviors is relentless.
Celebrities rarely meet any of these criteria. Indeed, one of Lady Gaga's Little Monsters who suffers from migraines might consider Nultec. That's because the singer has publicly stated that the drug helped her overcome migraines. Similarly, if you're a Mandy Moore fan who suffers from eczema and struggles to treat it, you might want to try Opzerla, as Moore, like Gaga, has experienced the condition firsthand. However, the important thing in both of these scenarios is that they are targeted at consumers. choice, not a change in consumer behavior. In these cases, consumers are already interested in the promoted health regimen, and celebrities play an effective role in influencing consumers' product choices.
But there's no disputing that Gaga and Moore are medical professionals. Additionally, consumers should not trust celebrities to be reliable sources of health information. These are important qualities when attempting to change health behaviors. Travis Kelsey's appearance in a vaccine commercial could make people aware of the idea of getting both coronavirus and flu shots, which public health officials are promoting. However, his support does not change the thoughts or actions of those who are lost or against him. This serves simply as a reminder or reinforcement for those who are already looking to get the vaccine.
In contrast, anti-vaxxers will see Kelce's presence as confirmation that vaccines are the wrong decision, especially on this politically polarizing public health issue. More importantly, the undecided group that is most concerned about it will watch the commercial and take the next step without thinking. What do tight ends know about vaccines?
The result of expensive advertising: The celebrity reinforced the behavior of those who were already trying to commit the act, further entrenched those who opposed the act, and was ignored by the people who were the actual focus of the commercial in the first place. In fact, this promotion did nothing to boost Pfizer's profits. The pharmaceutical company lost more than $2 billion in the third quarter due to weak sales of coronavirus-related products.
Additionally, celebrity endorsements can bring unwanted baggage to health issues that can't afford negative press. Celebrities tend to attract two groups of people. There are fans who adore it and critics who live to attack them. Using celebrities to advocate for health issues may generate positive feedback from fans, but it's still not enough to encourage behavior change if fans aren't already in the “pro” camp. Health issues are too complex and too personal. Fans will still separate their feelings toward a celebrity from their decisions to engage in healthy behavior.
For critics with negative views, this is often reversed. Rather than separating negative emotions from health products, negative perceptions of celebrities transfer to the promoted products, further exacerbating existing negative feelings about engaging in certain health activities. These “anti” groups now have additional legitimacy to shun health behaviors and products.
Sending health messages is already difficult enough. Unfortunately, in a classic case of “if it ain't broke, don't fix it,” medical advertisers are using the same celebrity strategies that have proven successful in advertising their products and services. Masu. Despite the best intentions, this tactic fails to move the needle, so to speak, in terms of creating health behavior change. At best, these celebrity endorsements serve as warnings that make viewers aware of the problem, but do not change their thoughts or, more importantly, their actions. At worst, advertising provides additional justification for people who are unwilling to accept health behavior changes to avoid an issue or product altogether. Given that celebrity endorsements are expensive investments, healthcare organizations need to stop and consider what they're actually paying for. Even Taylor Swift can't convince anti-vaxxers to get the jab.
Dr. Christopher Morse is professor and chair of the Department of Communication and Language Studies at Bryant University.
