Shock Appeals in Charity Advertising: Audience Interpretations and Experiences

This study aims to develop a nuanced understanding of audience responses to, and experiences and interpretations of, shock appeals in charity advertising. An interpretative, ethnographically-inspired qualitative study will be undertaken in two contrasting European countries: the UK and Slovakia. By engaging with different charitable audiences, it will explore whether cultural values underpin audiences’ experiences of charitable behaviours; the breath of charity advertising; and the use, audience interpretations, and impact, of shock appeals in charity advertising. It will critically engage with academic debates surrounding the use of shock advertisements, whilst supporting the development of culturally appropriate and effective charity advertising campaigns.