Discussing the results

Paper I Impact of campaigns for the prevention of alcohol abuse in adolescence

The campaigns against alcohol abuse that use western actors (X1) are more
effective both for Spanish and foreigner students. The analysis of this aspect has to be
related with the ethnic features of the foreigner sample and to the degree to which the
foreigner students identify themselves with the ethnic characteristics of the source. Still,
even if the actors are representative for the ethnicity of the foreigner students, the option
for the western actors is not so surprising. This fact can be explained through the role of
lifestyle imagery and reference groups [Englis & Solomon, 1995:24:1:]. The message
credibility is increased when the actors are perceived as representative for a lavish
lifestyle and not necessarily for their own lifestyle. In other word, for the foreigner
sample it can be made the assumption that western actors represent the aspirational
reference group and the message is considered to be real because is congruent to
audience expectations. It can also be speculated that the preference of foreigner
students for western actors can be explained through the acculturation process - their
desire to adopt the host country culture or to be part of it, especially if the reference
group at entry was represented by members of the host country [A. Kosic et al.,
2004:86:6].
The main effect of regulatory approach (X2) is significant for both samples.
Regardless of their nationality, the teenagers prefer promotional positive messages and
not the preventive negative ones. This is in accordance with similar studies regarding
the influence of social marketing campaigns on teenagers. For example, a study on
teenagers conducted by C. Messerlian & J. Derevensky [2007:98:2:] revealed that in
drinking and driving campaigns, the messages focusing just on the harmful aspect are
considered to be unrealistic, while the authoritative messages with a dont do it
approach rather encourage rebellious or defiant behavior. The rebellious attitude
characterizes teenagers all over the world, and is not an unexpected result that the
promotional positive messages are preferred by both subsamples (the Spanish and the
foreigner). The preference for young actors is following the same line of teenager
culture (with an associated rebellious behavior) that tends to reject advices from
mature people.
The interaction effect between ethnic trait and regulatory approach (X1*X2) is
significant just for the Spanish students. The promotional positive approach is enhanced
by the presence of western actors because they are the reference group for this sample
and they dont relate in any way with the actors with ethnic characteristics. For the
foreigner sample the interaction is not meaningful since they can receive advices
(promotional positive messages) from both categories: western actors (as their
aspirational reference group) and ethnic actors (as their real reference group).
References
Englis & Splomon - To Be and Not to Be: Lifestyle Imagery, Reference Groups,
and The Clustering of America, Journal of Advertising, Vol. XXIV, No 1, 1995
Kosic et al. - The Social Cognition of Immigrants Acculturation: Effects of the
Need for Closure and the Reference Group at Entry, Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 2004, Vol. 86, No. 6, 796813

Messerlian& Derevensky - Evaluating the Role of Social Marketing Campaigns

to Prevent Youth Gambling Problems: A Qualitative Study, Canadian Journal of
Public Health, Ottawa: 2007. Vol. 98, Iss. 2; pg. 101, 4 pgs

Paper II Relevant attributes for wine selling on the web

For the Spanish students the main effect of variable F (number of words) is
negative, which means that they prefer short explanations. This is consistent with
previous researches undertaken in Spain with regard to product presentation mode on
web sites which revealed that user perceive the information presented in a schematic
way as being of higher quality and with a higher degree of usability [Flavian et al,
2009:33:6:].
The main effect of variable E (kind of comment) records different preferences
between the samples: while the Spanish students prefer comments on the vineyard, the
American students prefer comments on the wine. Speculating, the finding can be
assigned to the different degree of experience with the product between the two
samples. Historically wine production and consumption are associated with Europe
(with Spain as one of the top countries in this area), while in USA the consumption and
production have increased in the recent years [Lazanyi, 2008:2:1/2]. As a consequence
for Spanish students is easier to decode more sophisticated information like the ones
regarding the vineyard, while for the American ones is harder (as they do not posses a
culture or a tradition of wine) and so they prefer the comments that relate directly to the
product.
References
Flavian et al. The effect of product presentation mode on the perceived content
and continent analyse of web sites, Online Information Review, Vol.33, No.6,
2009
Layanzi - Trends in wine production and trade, Applied Studies in Agribusiness
and Commerce, vol. 2, issue , 2008