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Frequently Asked Questions

MISSION

  1. What is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign?
  2. Who is the target audience of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign?
  3. How does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign reach out to teens? 
  4. How does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign reach out to parents, other caregivers, and community organizations? 
  5. How does the Media Campaign work with partners – like companies and organizations -- to get the word out about teen drug abuse? 
  6. Why is it important to reach young people through a media campaign? 

DRUGS OF ABUSE

  1. Does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign focus on particular drugs?
  2. What about abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs? 
  3. What is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign doing about meth? 

MEDIA & ADVERTISING

  1. How does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign get the word out to media?
  2. Does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign use paid advertising?
  3. How are the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s advertisements tested for effectiveness? 
  4. Who pays for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s advertising?
  5. Is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign on the Web?

RESULTS & EVALUATION

  1. How is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign evaluated? 
  2. Is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign showing success?
  3. Are teens aware of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign?
  4. How does awareness of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign affect teen drug use?

MISSION

Q:  What is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign?

The U.S. Congress created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign in 1998 with the goal of preventing and reducing youth drug abuse across the nation. The Campaign is managed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).  Grounded in research and implemented in collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the Media Campaign is a strategically integrated communications program that combines paid advertising with public communications outreach.

Unlike traditional public service campaigns that depend on donated advertising time and space from media outlets, the Media Campaign uses a paid advertising budget to ensure effective media placement of messages and requires a 2-to-1 return from media outlets, mandated by Congress, achieving value that is unmatched by any other advertiser—commercial, nonprofit, or public service.

Q: Who is the target audience of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign?

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign delivers anti-drug messages to America’s youth, their parents and other caregivers, and community organizations that are important influences in the lives of teens.  The Media Campaign has developed two primary brands to reach out to these audiences:  Above the Influence is the Campaign’s teen brand, and Parents.  The Anti-Drug, is the Campaign’s brand aimed at parents, other caregivers, and community organizations. 

Q:  How does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign reach out to teens? 

Above the Influence, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s teen brand since November 2005, speaks with a message and voice relevant to today’s teens. The advertising and online campaign aimed at teens ages 14 to 16 encourages them to live “above the influence” and reject the use of illicit drugs. The brand supports a teen’s ability to “make the right decisions” and resist drug use, and it provides a realistic and resonant reflection of teen lives. Above the Influence, manifested in teen advertising and the Web site, www.AbovetheInfluence.com, takes into account differing sensibilities and attitudes that go beyond drugs, addressing a variety of pressures teens face.

The Above the Influence campaign is designed to keep pace with teens’ rapidly changing media environment. Now more than four years since the launch of Above the Influence, the Media Campaign continues to make progress in its efforts to strengthen the brand and make teenagers aware of these messages.  To see the TV ads, click on www.AbovetheInfluence.com/ads.

Q:  How does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign reach out to parents, other caregivers, and community organizations? 

Parents. The Anti-Drug, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s brand for parents, highlights the dangers of teen drug use and other risky behaviors and encourages parents to take action – talking, rule-setting, monitoring, and connecting – to keep their teens healthy and drug-free. The Media Campaign’s advertising and Web site, www.TheAntiDrug.com, targets parents and caregivers, reflecting research that shows they are the most important influence on their teen’s decisions about drug use.  The Media Campaign also maintains a Spanish-language parenting Web site – www.LaAntiDroga.com – as well as versions of TheAntiDrug.com in Asian languages.    

In addition, with input from behavioral scientists and drug prevention experts, the Campaign develops a wide range of materials for youth, parents, and adult influencers, including brochures, handbooks, toolkits, posters, postcards, and CD-ROMs, many in bilingual versions. Community groups, parents, teens, and other individuals can order free materials in bulk or download them from TheAntiDrug.com’s “Resources” section (www.TheAntiDrug.com/Resources).   

Q:  How does the Media Campaign work with partners – like companies and organizations -- to get the word out about teen drug abuse? 

In addition to providing resources and materials to community organizations and others, the Media Campaign works with nearly 100 community, youth-serving, education, prevention, and public health organizations, as well as 50 corporations, which adds both credibility and reach to its messages.  Partners, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, CADCA, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, National Urban League, PTA, SADD, AT&T, Cox Communications, GEICO, and Procter & Gamble, distribute anti-drug information, create materials, and deliver messages to their members and communities through a number of different channels.  Corporate partnerships have provided more than $20 million of value in direct and in-kind support. 

Q: Why is it important to reach young people through a media campaign? 

As a strategy to prevent and reduce youth drug and alcohol use, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is an important part of the nation’s drug prevention efforts targeting the vulnerable teen audience. The Media Campaign keeps the drug issue on the public agenda as the country’s most visible and consistent media messenger, combating the ever-growing pro-drug content pervasive in the popular culture, mass media, and the Internet.

Not only do teens spend a great deal of time with media – about six hours per day spent reading and watching TV, Internet, videos, magazines, and newspapers – but research shows that teen attitudes about risky behaviors can be influenced by media messages and consumption.

Television shows and films often glamorize smoking and drug use and can “normalize” these behaviors for viewers, influencing and even encouraging them to become users.  Research also shows that anti-drug messages can have a positive impact on teens. Teens who were exposed to the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign messages, along with an in-school drug education program, were significantly less likely to smoke marijuana than teens who were exposed to the in-school program alone (Longshore et al., 2006).

DRUGS OF ABUSE

Q: Does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign focus on particular drugs?

In addition to providing general information about illicit drug use, prevention tips, signs and symptoms of use, and treatment information, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign also addresses emerging drug threats in the U.S., including prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse, and methamphetamine. 

Q:  What about abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs?

In 2008, the Media Campaign launched a major public education effort directed at parents to combat the rising trend of teen prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse in America.  A major advertising effort, kicked off during the 2008 Super Bowl, included television, print, point-of-purchase, and online advertising, as well as free print and online resources for communities. Awareness of teen prescription drug abuse more than doubled—increasing 116% from pre-launch—with 67% of parents aware of the campaign. More than 75% of parents reported that they intended to adopt key actions/directives in campaign messages.

Additionally, the parent site – www.TheAntiDrug.com – includes a full set of parent resources about teen prescription drug abuse, including signs and symptoms of use, tips for parents, and more. 

Q:  What is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign doing about meth? 

Since 2007, the Media Campaign has supported a national anti-meth campaign through TV, radio, print, and online anti-meth advertising, and news media outreach.  The anti-meth messages are aimed at young adults (ages 18-34), as national survey data indicate that young adults, with an average age of first use of meth of 22.2 years, are far more likely to use meth than teens or any other age group.  The advertising and outreach has included messages that focus on preventing meth use and raising awareness about the benefits of treatment, and encouraging those who need help to seek treatment.  Beginning in the Fall of 2009, new TV ads will be available as free resources for community organizations to use in local markets.   

Additionally, in 2008, the Media Campaign partnered with key organizations to launch a new public awareness campaign (paid print and radio) aimed at preventing meth use among American Indian/Alaska Native audiences. In 2009, ONDCP continues its commitment to the Native American population by targeting Native teens and adults/elders with two new anti-meth television PSAs (available as free resources in 2009).    

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign also maintains a Web site, www.MethResources.gov, which includes facts, policy information, law enforcement information, and information about its media and ad campaign. 

MEDIA & ADVERTISING

Q: How does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign get the word out to media?

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign reaches out to news sources by hosting local/regional media briefings with drug experts; conducting national news conferences with leaders in the areas of public health, education, and youth; and maintaining regular outreach to news media outlets. Campaign anti-drug messages have been read, heard, or seen in the news media an estimated 2 billion times since 1998.

Q: Does the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign use paid advertising?

Paid and donated Media Campaign advertising on television, radio, print, out-of-home, and the Internet delivers anti-drug information to target audiences via more than 1,000 media outlets across the country, reaching 97% of teens approximately 70 times throughout the year.

Q:  How are the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s advertisements tested for effectiveness? 

All National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign ads go through rigorous qualitative and quantitative testing to ensure messages will be effective when they reach their audiences.  The Media Campaign’s approach to testing advertising—including all qualitative and quantitative research—is modeled on advertising and market research best practices outlined by leading organizations such as the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) and the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO).  Furthermore, these practices are more rigorously applied by the Media Campaign than by most commercial advertising campaigns of similar budget and size.  See Advertising Research & Testing for more details.

Q: Who pays for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s advertising?

The Media Campaign is a Federal government program, with funds appropriated by Congress.  A unique feature of the Media Campaign is a “Media Match” component, wherein for every ad purchased by the Media Campaign, the media outlet must provide a match ad for free, achieving value that is unmatched by any other public health advertiser. Mandated by Congress, the Campaign’s Media Match program has generated $1.22 billion in incremental media value for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign since its inception.

Q:   Is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign on the Web?

The Campaign has been a leader in social marketing on the Internet. The Campaign’s teen Web site is www.AbovetheInfluence.com and sites for parents and adult influencers include www.TheAntiDrug.com, www.LaAntiDroga.com, and versions of TheAntiDrug.com in Asian languages.  Campaign Web sites have received an average of 39 million visits in recent years. 

RESULTS

Q:  How is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign evaluated? 

Evaluating a media campaign designed to reduce teen drug use presents difficult challenges. The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is based on a research-based model designed to raise awareness, improve beliefs and attitudes, and reduce drug use. Because this is a national campaign, it is not possible to have a control group to compare changes among youth not exposed to the campaign, and since the campaign has been underway for a number of years, a baseline measurement for a before-and-after comparison is also not possible. Further, drug use is an illegal behavior and self-reported behavior change cannot be attribute to specific anti-drug efforts such as a media campaign, school-based drug education, or drug testing policies. Nonetheless, an evaluation can be accomplished by measuring trends in youth response to campaign messages, shifts in anti-drug attitudes and beliefs, and reduced intentions to try drugs based on those changes in beliefs.

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign periodically convenes meetings of independent researchers and experts to guide its efforts. These review sessions and experts provide expertise on evaluation, strategy, and messaging. Expert review is channeled into Campaign creative and execution in both advertising and non-advertising activities. Moving forward, ONDCP will continue to evaluate the campaign using these and other extensive measures.

The Media Campaign approach to testing is modeled on the best ad industry practices, and is often more rigorous than commercial advertising campaigns of similar budget size. Specific measures employed by the Campaign include exploratory research, qualitative and quantitative copy testing, tracking studies, and consumer measures. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reviews all scientific and factual claims in ads and Web sites to ensure accuracy. In addition, national drug use surveys inform the public and the Campaign about trends in teen drug use and attitudes. 

ONDCP is in the process of awarding an independent contractor to conduct a National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign outcome evaluation.  The goal of the outcome evaluation is to demonstrate how and to what extent the dissemination of the Media Campaign’s paid media messages and other Media Campaign activities have contributed to changes in awareness of the Media Campaign’s anti-drug messages as well as youth attitudes, beliefs, and intentions to use illegal drugs. 

See Campaign Measures for more details.

Q: Is the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign showing success?

National independent surveys show a steady decline in youth drug use in recent years. The results of the national “Monitoring the Future” (MTF) study, conducted by the University of Michigan, demonstrate a 25% decrease in overall illicit teen drug use since 2001. While the MTF data do not permit attribution to any one cause (including the Media Campaign) for these declines, the Campaign is the single largest drug prevention program initiated during this time.  

See Campaign Measures for more details.

Q: Are teens aware of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign?

Campaign research in 2008 (through November) indicates an average of 81% of the Campaign’s target audience was aware of ATI advertising, up from 2006, when average awareness was 65%. Interactive media allow the Campaign to reach teens in unique ways as well, providing opportunities to supply more in-depth information than a 30-second TV spot. AbovetheInfluence.com receives 10 times the traffic of American Legacy’s TheTruth.com, and generates a flash banner click-through-rate that is more than four times the industry standard.

Q: How does awareness of the Media Campaign affect teen drug use?

As awareness of Above the Influence grows, youth attitudes and perceptions about drug use and the importance of remaining drug free have strengthened as well. Results from third-party tracking surveys show that as teen awareness of Above the Influence grows, their anti-drug beliefs also strengthen.

The latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that teens who have seen or heard prevention messages outside of school were significantly less likely to have used any illicit drug in the past month compared to teens who had not been exposed to such messages. While NSDUH data are not specific to Media Campaign initiatives, the Campaign is the largest out-of-school source of drug prevention messaging.  See National Surveys for more details.