Final answer:
To promote safe-sex practices among college students using the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), the peripheral route of persuasion is most effective due to low audience motivation to engage with the topic.
Step-by-step explanation:
In designing an advertising campaign that promotes safe-sex practices among college students who are disinterested in the topic, the peripheral route of persuasion should be employed according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). This approach is suitable because it relies on indirect cues and associations such as positive emotions, attractive visuals, and potentially celebrity endorsements that can create a positive attitude towards safe sex without requiring deep cognitive processing from the audience. Since the audience may not be particularly motivated or interested to hear about safe sex, the peripheral route does not require much effort or information processing and may result in temporary attitude or behavior change.
The peripheral route is effective when the audience is not highly motivated to think about the message, which in this case is the need for safe-sex practices. The use of this method may lead to short-term attitude or behavior change, which can be beneficial in creating initial awareness and action. Furthermore, tactics like catchy slogans, influential testimonials, and the association of safe-sex with desirable outcomes can enhance the positive messaging without demanding intense focus from the target audience.