Fear Sells

As we discussed Act 3 of The Crucible in class this week, the notion that "fear sells" was brought up. I mean we've all heard that sex sells, but can fear really be used to make consumers buy a certain product?

There is a great article on companies using fear as a tool to persuade consumers into buying their product. Click here to read. In it, the author talks of how Broadview Security airs ads "that feature a series of scenarios that play on women's darkest fears." Like some guy a woman met at a party breaking into her house only a couple of hours later. Obviously the commercial is used to show how effective Broadview Security is, but it also strikes a sense of panic in the women viewers. Many of the other Broadview ads follow the same pattern. A woman is alone and defenseless when a someone tries to break into her home, only to be stopped by the Broadview alarm.

Here is some of their commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeBt2xouWbY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syjM1dPriBA&feature=related


Martin Lindstrom, who wrote Buyology: Truth and Lies About What We Buy and other marketing books, is quoted in the article. He addresses why fear is used in advertising when he says,

"There's actually a neurological reason for why fear is becoming increasingly effective advertising tool, says Lindstrom, who studied the brain scans of more than 2,000 people as they were shown marketing and advertising strategies. The amygdala, the part of the brain that generates fear, kicks in when a person's under stress, and tends to stay alert and receptive to fear signals until the danger goes away, he says. And in today's environment, with consumers concerned with everything from terrorism to the environment, there are increasing number of fear signals pushing consumers' buttons."

He also adds,

"The consequence of guilt and fear is that we buy more to compensate. The security companies are plugging into that."

Broadview Security had reaped the benefits of this advertising campaign. Revenue has increased 7.5% and sales increased 6.2%. Their overall net income has jumped 9.8%.

I think fear can be used to make consumers buy a product and that its been proven to be very successful. There are high levels of fear through the country already with the economic recession, terrorism, the obesity epidemic, etc. So fear has become an effective tool for advertisers and companies. However, I'm not sure if it's right to play with people's fears like that.