Study On The Appeal Strategies Of AIDS Public Posters

AIDS prevention is an important field of health communication study and practice across the world. All sectors of society have the responsibility and obligation to contribute to the resolution of this issue by cooperative efforts. Transmission of information and communication plays a key role in this process. AIDS public poster is not only a communication channel of AIDS-related information to the public, but also an instructive publicity method, which can effectively promote the solution to AIDS. Whether from perspectives of the study of AIDS in China, or the study of public posters in China, the study on AIDS public posters is of great research potential.Based on relevant theory of communication science, this paper mainly adopts content analysis method.200 sample posters are selected, which are produced and released during 1995 and 2011 by the Chinese government departments, party organizations and domestic and international non-governmental organizations. The sample contains 22 years’AIDS public posters of World AIDS Day, companies, medical institutions, and competition award-winning works. Quantitative analysis is conduct on their publicity theme, color choice, text forms and expression forms, via which the contrast of appeal characteristics between Chinese and foreign AIDS public posters is made.The study on the appeal strategy of China’s AIDS prevention public posters leads to, on the one hand, the understanding of status quo of China’s AIDS prevention public posters and the summary of the existing shortcomings that need improving, that is, the non-standard language, the less-diversity information sources, the low-level audience exposure because of centralized information release, the over-exaggerated fear appeals, and the form-emphasized layout design; on the other hand, some corresponding strategies proposed according to the study results, namely:subdivide the population goals, enrich techniques of information expression, upgrade designs and establish a positive interaction mechanism of AIDS public communication and news media opinions. The study aims to enhance the communication effects of Chinese AIDS public posters and to promote the further development of the theory and practice of China’s AIDS public posters.