Anti- or “responsible” drinking campaigns have long been a mainstay of health departments, nonprofit organizations and even beverage companies, yet alcohol abuse remains a persistent and growing problem linked to the deaths of approximately 79,000 people in the U.S. each year. Could the advertising be to blame?Unfortunately, research suggests it’s possible, according to a study conducted by the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Bloomington, Ind., and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.Public service advertising campaigns that use guilt or shame to warn against alcohol abuse can actually have the reverse effect, spurring increased drinking among target audiences. Instead of the intended outcome, research showed that the ads triggered an innate coping mechanism that enables viewers to distance themselves from the serious consequences of reckless drinking. The research specifically explored anti-drinking ads that link to the possible adverse results of alcohol abuse, such as blackouts and car accidents, while eliciting feelings of shame and guilt. Findings show such messages are too difficult to process among viewers already experiencing these emotions, such as those who already have alcohol-related transgressions. To cope, they adopt a defensive mind-set that allows them to underestimate their susceptibility to the consequences highlighted in the ads; that is, that the consequences happen only to “other people.” The result is they engage in greater amounts of irresponsible drinking.The unintended negative impact of employing shame and guilt in these ads could have implications for a wider range of health-related messaging, from smoking cessation to preventing sexually-transmitted diseases. An alternative to this type of advertising is conveying dire consequences along with messages of empowerment.“If you’re going to communicate a frightening scenario, temper it with t...