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National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
Phase 1 (Report No. 1)
Site-Specific Findings: 12 Weeks Into the Media Campaign
Overall the findings indicated that in the first 3 months of its implementation, the Media Campaign made an impact on people's awareness of the drug problem in the target sites. Youth, parents, and community representatives across the 12 target sites were very aware of the new television ads being aired, the frequency with which they were shown, and the new time slots in which they were seen. Qualitative intermediate findings within each of the target sites are summarized as follows:
Atlanta, GA -- Middle school and high school students remembered seeing many of the anti-drug ads on television. Middle school students reported the ads made them think about the seriousness of drug use. Parents reported seeing more anti-drug ads in the past 3 months than they had in the past 2 years.
Baltimore, MD -- Local media representatives thought the Media Campaign was very effective. Suburban youth and parents were more aware of the Media Campaign ads than were their urban counterparts. The perceptions of key informants (e.g., law enforcement officials, educators, and members of the faith community) regarding community response to the ads were mixed. Some had heard a lot of discussion about the ads; others thought that youth and parents viewed ads as if they were commercials.
Boise, ID -- Youth (7th-12th graders) reported seeing the Media Campaign ads. High school students reported hearing the radio ads "every few minutes" and seeing the TV ads more often late at night, and stated that the ads appeared only two to three times during the early evening. Parents recommended that a mentoring program be used in conjunction with the Media Campaign to ensure its success.
Denver, CO -- Middle school youth identified 16 Media Campaign TV ads and several of the radio ads. Some middle school students reported that some of the ads "scare you out of doing it," while others said the ads would not change the minds of those already using drugs. Urban and suburban parents said the ads have stimulated discussions about drugs between them and their children. High school students said the ads would not change their minds about drugs.
Hartford, CT -- Youth of all ages reported a high level of awareness of the Media Campaign ads, particularly those on TV and radio. Youth offered concrete recommendations for improvements including "show that drugs are deadly" and "use terms that speak to teens." Many of the urban Hispanic parents said that having ads in both Spanish and English raises the awareness of parents who speak only one of the two languages. Parents, in general, agreed that if anti-drug ads were going to be effective, they had to be shown frequently, show real-life consequences of using drugs, and offer help to parents who were seeking support.
Houston, TX -- Students in elementary and high school and, to a lesser extent, middle school were very aware of the Media Campaign's TV and billboard ads. Parents generally considered the ads educational for both parents and youth and believed the ads would help keep the drug issue on people's minds. Media representatives who were interviewed said that even with Media Campaign ads being aired, their local stations continued to provide donated air space for other topics besides drug prevention.
Milwaukee, WI -- Elementary, middle, and high school students had good recall of the TV ads and remembered specific campaign messages. Parents reported that the ads provided them with good opportunities to discuss the drug issue with their children. Community representatives recommended that the ads be shown more frequently, include minorities and local people, and ask direct questions such as "Why do you want to get high?"
Portland, OR -- All parents who had seen the ads agreed they were an important tool for "breaking the ice" with their children. High school students reported a high level of exposure to the ads, primarily on TV and billboards, and accurately interpreted the ad messages. Students in 4th-6th grades had very little awareness of the Media Campaign ads. Urban middle school students remembered seeing Media Campaign ads on TV and billboards. Suburban middle school students said the ads were "never on."
San Diego, CA -- Youth in grades 4-6 did not recall the anti-drug ads on television, radio, or in any print medium. High school and suburban middle school students recalled some of the anti-drug ads shown on TV. Only suburban high school students were aware of any anti-drug billboards in their communities. Awareness of specific ads was more common among inner-city parents than among parents in the suburbs. Parents agreed that new advertisements should show the physical harm done by drugs, persons with permanent disabilities as a result of drug abuse, and parents who had lost a child to drugs.
Sioux City, IA -- The majority of youth recalled seeing most, if not all, of the Media Campaign ads one to several times a day. These children often were able to repeat the dialogue as well as the message of the ads. Elementary school students reported the ads made them think about what they would do if someone offered them drugs. The majority of the high school students reported they already knew about the risks and dangers of illegal drugs. Interviews with media representatives indicated that the ONDCP ads did not decrease air time for other PSAs because they were filling paid time slots, not PSA time slots.
Tucson, AZ -- Youth of all ages and parents reported a high level of awareness of the Media Campaign ads. Parents said the ads provided positive information and a natural lead-in for discussion with their children. Parents also reported that the toll-free referral numbers were particularly helpful. One television station representative whose station was airing the Media Campaign ads said he was impressed with the quality of the ads included in the Media Campaign. He also reported that airing these ads had not affected that station's pro bono policies for airing PSAs.
Washington, DC -- Youth at all grade levels were very aware of the anti-drug television ads. The Frying Pan ad was recalled by nearly all youth participating in focus groups and was characterized as having a "powerful message." Very few youth remembered posters and billboards. Youth reported that ads that related youth's personal stories about drugs and their effects were more likely to "make people stop and think." Parents also recalled an extensive list of the Media Campaign's television ads and a few radio ads. Media representatives from local television and radio stations and newspapers reported that the ads were well received and that the station staff were talking about them, although they had received no comments or feedback from the public.
