This is a micro study of an on-going macro study of the different categories of fear appeals used in the on-going national anti-smoking campaign. A quasi-experimental design was used to study the respondents’ responses to the anti-smoking print advertisement campaign. Two types of advertisements were selected, one which depicted a social threat and the other a damaging health threat. Each type of advertisement was evaluated by two separate groups of participants. The evaluation was based on the extended parallel process model’s (EPPM) risk diagnosis scale. The social threat advertisement had a low fear and efficacy message while the health threat advertisement had a high fear and efficacy message. Findings showed that the social threat (low fear/efficacy) was able to make the respondents of the study take a preventive behavioural or danger control position to avoid the negative consequences. In comparison the damaging health threat (high fear/ efficacy) was found to move the participants to a fear control position or maladaptive behavioural position. The study supported the main predictions of the EPPM, and showed that the efficacy construct determined how the fear appeal was processed (danger control or fear control).

Social networking sites are able to build on the interactive power of the Internet. This study attempts to discover the influence of social media on the present generation Y as consumers, their buying behaviour and to determine the roles that the social media plays as a popular medium to communicate a message. The findings of this research will provide clear and useful information to facilitate further research in similar fields of study. A set of questionnaire was administered to 200 students from ten selected institutions of higher learning in the Klang Valley. The respondents were asked about their current perceptions regarding their interaction with the social media websites and how these websites have influenced their purchasing behaviour which would enable further understanding about the social media. The respondents, responses show that, generally social media was used to seek useful information. They prefer to purchase in groups and the social media acts as a community platform to post and share their views. The respondents agreed that social media was more effective in finding information as compared to the use of the traditional mass media. Viral advertising in the form ofvideos are very appealing to them. Furthermore, social media also improves customers service and business networking.