How to Persuade People to Get Vaccinated: Be Emotional or Rational?

COVID-19 had a profound impact on society. It led to widespread hospitalizations and loss of lives. Yet, even after the development and availability of vaccines, many individuals remained hesitant to get vaccinated. But how should marketing messages from vaccine providers or the government be framed to persuade the public in such situations? Drawing on Aristotle’s theory of persuasion, this study focuses on three key rhetorical elements: logos (reasoning), ethos (credibility of the source), and pathos (emotional appeal). We analyzed over 13,000 posts from Platform X, collected in March 2021 when the vaccine was available, but the public remained hesitant. Our findings reveal that logos-based rhetoric, characterized by logic and reasoning, is negatively associated with positive attitudes toward the message. In contrast, pathos-based rhetoric, which involves emotional appeals, is positively associated with a more positive attitude toward the message, with a stronger overall effect. These results offer important implications for persuasive communication strategies in public health, marketing, and efforts to drive large-scale behavioral changes.