Fear Appeal dan Batasan Etika dalam Iklan Digital:  Studi Kasus Iklan Podcast Horor Spotify

Vanessa Harjanto; Priya Anka Anjely; Daniel Nathan Asuncion Tjie; Muhammad Axel Zulchair; Dimas Prasetyo Nugroho; Nicko Setiawan

doi:10.31004/joecy.v5i2.2396

Authors

Vanessa Harjanto LSPR Communication and Business Institute
Priya Anka Anjely LSPR Communication and Business Institute
Daniel Nathan Asuncion Tjie LSPR Communication and Business Institute
Muhammad Axel Zulchair LSPR Communication and Business Institute
Dimas Prasetyo Nugroho LSPR Communication and Business Institute
Nicko Setiawan LSPR Communication and Business Institute

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v5i2.2396

Keywords:

communication ethics, digital advertising, digital marketing, fear appeal, Spotify

Abstract

The fear appeal strategy, or a fear-based persuasive approach, has long been employed in marketing communication. In the digital era, this technique has evolved and is now utilized across various advertising formats, including podcasts on Spotify. This study aims to examine the use of fear appeal in Spotify horror podcast advertisements, focusing on ethical communication practices. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach using literature-based content analysis, with data synthesized from academic journals, news articles, and relevant scholarly sources.to understand how fear appeal is applied and its impact on the audience. The primary focus is to ethically evaluate the distinctions between persuasion and manipulation in digital advertising. This study applies normative ethical theories—Theory of Rights, Utilitarianism, and Theory of Justice—to examine whether the use of fear in advertisements is morally justifiable. The findings are expected to provide insights and promote ethical considerations in digital marketing practices.

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