Usage of health-themed public service announcements as a social marketing communication tool: A content analysis related to public service announcements in the republic of Turkey, ministry of health's web site

Abstract

Public service announcements are informative short films that are made with the purpose of increasing the awareness of the society and/or creating behavioral changes. Also, they are communication tools used within the context of social marketing. One of the main themes of public service announcements which may have a substantial impact on masses is "health theme". Tobacco, blood donation, breast milk, obesity, and diabetes themed public service announcements which aimed to protect and improve health are examples of health communication as a part of social marketing. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate all the public service announcements in the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Health's web site with a content analysis. Within this scope, characteristics of 52 health-themed public service announcements are analyzed according to nine main categories which include primary health issue, primary goal, target audience, role of the message source/ spokesperson, sex of the message source/ spokesperson, estimated age of the message source/ spokesperson, message appeal, message frame, and type of the PSA. Because of the increased importance of social marketing, it is estimated that the findings of this study will be beneficial for both public and private sectors besides non-governmental organizations.