Adam ArthurAdam Arthur

Media CoordinatorMedia Coordinator

West Virginia Division of Tobacco PreventionWest Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention

Counter Marketing:Counter Marketing:

What Is AvailableWhat Is Available

WV DTP Counter Marketing

Media and marketing are often the most effective tools in changing awareness, attitudes and behavior, and have proven to be an essential component of comprehensive anti-tobacco efforts in West Virginia and other states. As a part of its assertive approach to tobacco-use prevention, WV DTP has supported an aggressive statewide media anti-tobacco campaign (also called counter marketing).

Effective Counter-Marketing PrinciplesEffective Counter-Marketing Principles

The experiences of other states have demonstrated that counter-marketing campaigns have the potential

to dramatically bolster smoking prevention and cessation programs, build public support for tobacco

control activities, and set a supportive climate for school and community efforts. The campaigns have in

common several core components that can increase the likelihood of success.

Campaigns Should:Campaigns Should:• Be comprehensive, based on market research, and developed by a professional media consultant or team

• Ensure all media strategies are consistent with a common message, theme and recognizable brand

• Develop a movement among youth, building momentum for remaining tobacco-free and mobilizing their efforts to reach out to their peers by empowering youth leaders to work for the cause of educating youth about tobacco. This campaign should be intertwined with the counter-marketing efforts (RAZE)

• Use non-authoritarian appeals that avoid direct commands not to smoke

Campaigns Should:Campaigns Should:• Involve focus groups, test groups, and target market studies in the development of any media campaign

• Include a combination of grassroots promotions, local media advocacy, event sponsorship and other community activities to create a recognizable presence at all levels

• Partner with organizations that have an interest in reducing tobacco consumption and who will address youth populations

• Combine messages on prevention, cessation, and protection from secondhand smoke; target both young people and adults

• Work with statewide youth organizations to eliminate tobacco sponsorship of events

Relating PARTICULARLY To Clean Indoor Air Campaigns…

The Media CampaignMust Be Comprehensive

Multiple audiences, messages, vehicles, paid and earned media, etc.

Effective Ads Use Appropriate Tone

Speak to smokers and business owners

respectfully, don’t judge or criticize them

Show support and understanding Speak from a

smoker’s experience

Show balance in the degree of difficulty - can everyone understand it?

Look At This Ad…

Look At This Ad…

Look At This Ad…

Strong And Consistent Media Presence Is Required

Need a high level of commitment to impact the audience’s awareness, knowledge,

attitudes, intentions and behaviors• High reach (% of audience reached)

• High frequency (% of times reached)

• Long duration (period of time messages placed)• Appropriate placement for messages

Additional Lessons About Ad Presence

Some of the most effective ads may also be offensive to some viewers

• Can sometimes be managed by careful placement of ads

Some emotionally intense ads may warrant shorter media runs

Remember… DE-NORMALIZATION IS

THE OVERALL GOAL

Themes and Formats With Low Potential

• Choice Ads• Choice ads consistently rated lower than ads about health effects and industry deception

• TELLING someone to make a choice without providing compelling rationale will cause SOME to smoke, and SOME not to smoke

• Humor Ads• Choice ads consistently rated lower than ads about health effects and industry deception

Themes and Formats With Low Potential

• Humor Ads• Attention getting, but they don’t change attitudes or behaviors

• Death/disease/personal loss are VERY serious topics…BE CAREFUL

• The only exception may be sarcastic or cynical humor, (but you will STILL upset at least one person out there)

Look At This Ad…

Look At This Ad…

Look At This Ad…

Look At This Ad…

Look At This Ad…

Media Advocacy

Defined as the strategic use of mass media and community advocacy to advance environmental change or a public policy initiative.

Compared with public relations, media advocacy is more focused on a particular policy goal, resulting in social change. It’s also more decentralized, community based, and community owned

Media AdvocacyUsing the Media, Not Depending On It

• the media is a tool, not a goal, and that media coverage is a means to an end, not an end in itself.• through the media, advocates gain access and a voice in the social decision-making process

Using the Media, Not Depending On It

• the media alone will not accomplish the goal of change• media advocacy efforts should be used in combination with other communications and policy initiatives

Media Advocacy

A Crucial Component of a Media Campaign

• empowers the community and targets policy makers• it’s a way of getting your message heard and inspiring others to join in your cause

Media Advocacy

A Crucial Component of a Media Campaign

• it can change attitudes and create a flood of support

Media Advocacy

It begins with the premise that those

closest to a problem are the best positioned to fix it and takes advantage of the fact that most media

are local.

The successful use of media advocacy requires flexibility

and being in tune with community issues, needs, and resources so that opportunities are embraced when they arise.

It is a learning process, and skills are developed through

practice. It requires long-term thinking and not being

discouraged by short-term setbacks.

Media Advocacy

It focuses on policy change or environmental change. However, it doesn’t have to be

confrontational and it isn’t limited to earned media.

• Initiating calls, faxes, and emails to reporters (“pitching” stories or angles)

• Responding to calls and e-mails from your local reporters

• Staging strategic media events

• Developing long-term relationships with “media gatekeepers”

Media advocacy can refer to a wide range of activities that all of you can initiate yourselves,

which may include:

Media AdvocacyMedia advocacy can refer to a wide range of

activities that all of you can initiate yourselves, which may include:

• Alerting the media about important political or other policy-related developments and framing these developments for the media

• Writing opinion / editorial (op-ed) columns, letters/emails to the editors of local newspapers /radio hosts

• Conducting creative research to educate your local media and to generate attention

Unlike other counter-marketing components, the role of the DTP is to

support the policy efforts of local coalitions

Media Advocacy

By providing you with information and tools that support the overall effort…

Providing Specialized MaterialsCustomizing Ads For Special Needs

Informing you of HOT information

Providing Approved, Editable Advertising Templates

Help Coordinate Special Events

Concluding Thoughts• De-normalization of tobacco is the goal

• The media campaign must be comprehensive• To be affective you must maintain the appropriate tone• A strong and consistent media presence is required• Use media advocacy to your advantage but don’t depend on it solely• Utilize the tools made available to you