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Celebrity? Doctor? Celebrity Doctor? Which Spokesperson is Most Effective for Cancer Prevention?

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Book cover Teaching Medicine and Medical Ethics Using Popular Culture

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture ((PSSPC))

Abstract

Mass media campaigns that target health behaviour change, such as cancer prevention behaviours, often feature a spokesperson. While commercial marketers tend to focus on the physical and familiar attributes of a spokesperson, in a health context the perceived character and credibility of the spokesperson is expected to have a greater impact on an advertisement’s effectiveness. This two-part study examines the impact of three health spokesperson types (celebrity, medical doctor and celebrity doctor) and their source characteristics (expertise, familiarity) on an audience’s intention to act on preventative cancer advertising messages. The findings from this study contribute to understanding of the role celebrities and medical doctor spokespersons play in influencing an individual to follow health advice.

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Acknowledgements

This research has received a statistical support grant from the Hunter Cancer Research Alliance (HCRA). HCRA receives funding from the Cancer Institute NSW to operate as a Translational Cancer Research Centre, the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Acknowledgement to Cancer Council South Australia for the original development of the resource used in the study, and for the guidance and cooperation of Cancer Council NSW in supporting the study. Use of the SunSmart Program logo has been reproduced with the permission of the SunSmart Program at Cancer Council Victoria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

    Candice-Brooke Woods, Erica L. James & Stacey Baxter

  2. Cancer Council NSW, Woolloomooloo, NSW, Australia

    Elizabeth King

  3. Clinical Research Design, Information and Statistical Support, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia

    Kerrin Palazzi & Christopher Oldmeadow

Authors
  1. Candice-Brooke Woods
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  2. Erica L. James
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  3. Stacey Baxter
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  4. Elizabeth King
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  6. Christopher Oldmeadow
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Correspondence to Candice-Brooke Woods .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Evie Kendal

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Basia Diug

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Woods, CB., James, E.L., Baxter, S., King, E., Palazzi, K., Oldmeadow, C. (2017). Celebrity? Doctor? Celebrity Doctor? Which Spokesperson is Most Effective for Cancer Prevention?. In: Kendal, E., Diug, B. (eds) Teaching Medicine and Medical Ethics Using Popular Culture. Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65451-5_5

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