AIDS in the African-American community: celebrities as an ineffective communication strategy

<p>The purpose of the study was to determine whether using celebrities to deliver HIV/AIDS prevention awareness messages to the African-American community is an effective public relations strategy.</p> <p>Celebrities are used to persuade people to buy shoes, cars, toothpaste, etc., but can they persuade people to change risky behavior: protecting themselves and others from the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases?</p> <p>Research conducted for this thesis found celebrities to be effective tools when their actions coincide or mirror the message. Celebrities that are perceived to be irresponsible or whose lyrics and/or actions do not coincide with safe-sex aren't taken seriously, thereby rendering their message ineffective.</p> <p>Messages delivered by non-celebrities can be just as powerful as those delivered by celebrities if done appropriately, according to study findings.</p> <p>Research for this thesis came from the following: The Centers for Disease Control, face-to-face interviews, Internet searches, and focus panels. The focus panels were conducted to compare listeners' reactions to non-celebrity personal service announcements and celebrity personal service announcements.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. in Public Relations

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Public Relations & Advertising

Year dc:date.available

2003

Author dc:creator

• Robinson, Wendy A.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bagin, Don

• African Americans--Health and hygiene; AIDS (Disease) in mass media; AIDS (Disease)--Prevention
• Public Relations and Advertising

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1367

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-2367