The Real Cost Campaign

So we meet again... :-) 

In this post we will cover 2 weeks worth of material and 4 chapters through examining “The Real Cost” anti-smoking campaign! Specific topics we’ll examine, include:

1.) Determining research needs and options: 

• What types of research are mentioned?
• Does this campaign utilize ongoing research?

2) Choosing a social issue, purpose, and focus:

• This one is almost a trick question it's so easy-  What is the focus of this campaign?

3) Segmenting, evaluation, and selecting target audiences:

• Who is the target audience?
• What is the desired behavior?

4) Setting behavior objectives and target goals:

• What is the target goal for this campaign?

1.) Determining research needs and options: 

• What types of research are mentioned?
• State and national youth tobacco prevention campaigns
• Youth-focused health campaigns
• Best practices for mass media campaigns
• Lessons learned from previous efforts 
• FDA's research 
• Formative research
• Literature Reviews (secondary data)
• Consolation with experts (key informant interviews)
• Focus groups with youth
• Pilot testing of messages (this can enable evaluation research (and changes) before the message is widely distributed) 
• Does this campaign utilize ongoing research?
• Yup!  Ongoing research and evaluation is tiled through a multi-year in person and nationwide study.

2) Choosing a social issue, purpose, and focus:

• This one is almost a trick question it's so easy-  What is the focus of this campaign?
• Smoking among youth 12-17 years of age (which will ultimately assist in improving overall health outcomes)

3) Segmenting, evaluation, and selecting target audiences:

• Who is the target audience?
• Youth 12-17
• Target audience analysis was done to help develop messages 

4) Setting behavior objectives and target goals:

• What is the target goal for this campaign?
• The overall goal of this campaign is to reduce the number of youth aged 12-17 who smoke. Beyond this long term goal, the campaign aims to change knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors over time.

Moving forward to examine behavior change communication (BCC) vs. Empowerment in "The Real Cost" campaign. Featured below are two PSA examples from this campaign.  At fist glance I would say the campaign developers did a good job addressing the target audience and no large red flags go up in my mind. 

While I didn't come across any major ethical considerations I do believe the first example doesn't  give much information on why cigarets could potentially "control you".

This second example seemed much more intense to me!  What did you think? 

More information on "The Real Cost Campaign" can me found here: http://therealcost.betobaccofree.hhs.gov

References:

(1)FDA,. The Real Cost: Research + Evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/downloads/TobaccoProducts/PublicHealthEducation/PublicEducationCampaigns/TheRealCostCampaign/UCM384308.pdf

(2)YouTube,. (2016). Don't Let Tobacco Control You.. Retrieved 17 February 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jeocrjZOUY

(3)YouTube,. (2016). The Real Cost Commercial: "Your Skin". Retrieved 17 February 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asarKLMCvdo