Analysis of Terms Comprising Potential Names for a Recall Notification Campaign

Recall notices are vital in promulgating warnings about defective products to consumers. The present study examined potential names/titles of recall notifications that might be used in campaigns requesting the return of defective items such as foods, drugs, medical devices, etc. Sixty-one potential names were evaluated showing that some combinations of particular words forming potential names produced higher ratings, such as the terms Recall and Urgent. The term Recall is viewed as appropriate for campaigns involving many kinds of products, however, participants indicated that a different term should be used when the defective product is a surgically implanted medical device. Further analyses indicated that inclusion of FDA in the name produces higher ratings of appropriateness than a generic company name. Also, evaluations of individual words comprising the names showed similar patterns when combined with other words. Implications of these results are discussed.