Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2942

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Smith MC, Griffin L.
Rationality of appeals used in the promotion of psychotropic drugs. A comparison of male and female models
Soc Sci Med. 1977 Apr 01; 11:(6-7):409-14

Abstract:

Content analysis was performed on 329 different advertisements for psychotropic drugs which appeared in medical journals in 1974. Ads were classified by the nature of the sales appeal and the sex of the patient portrayed. Male patients were associated with the use of rational (as defined by the study) appeals significantly more often than were female patients. The illustration portions of the ads were associated with non-rational appeals in the majority of the ads, while the headline and text were more often associated with rational appeals. The influence of these advertising practices on perscribing has not been demonstrated, but the implications are important enought to warrant further study.

Keywords:
*analytic survey/United States/journal advertisements/images in ads/women/men/sexism/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: JOURNAL ADVERTISEMENTS/IMAGES IN PROMOTION: MEN/IMAGES IN PROMOTION: SCIENTIFIC APPEAL/IMAGES IN PROMOTION: WOMEN/INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PRESCRIBING, DRUG USE Advertising* Drug Industry* Female Gender Identity* Humans Identification (Psychology)* Male Psychotropic Drugs* Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Thinking