The influence of taboo level on emotional versus rational user-generated messages

In least developed countries (LDCs), a multitude of social challenges persists, including child abuse, HIV/AIDS, and female genital mutilation. The taboo nature of these issues complicates efforts to address them, as it hinders open dialogue and communication, thereby preventing the necessary changes in behavior that can lead to meaningful progress. This article examines the impact of different types of communication appeals on behavioral intentions when addressing strong versus moderate taboos. Using a between-subjects experimental design (taboo level: strong/moderate × appeal type: humor/rational), this study contributes to the scarce research on this topic by showing that the effectiveness of different communication appeals is contingent on the level of taboo surrounding the issue. Specifically, our findings indicate that humor-based appeals outperform rational appeals when addressing strong taboo topics, whereas for moderate taboo issues, both humor and rational appeals are equally effective. These findings contribute to existing marketing literature and suggest that social marketers in LDCs may benefit from adapting their communication strategies to the level of taboo surrounding social issues in order to effectively deal with socially sensitive issues. Hence, this study offers valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners.