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Teen pregnancy prevention: When the promise of a bright future is not enough thedramafreelife.com Campaign Objectives: • belief that one can experience “validation” in ways that do not involve risky sexual behavior or pregnancy • perception that one can have a gratifying relationship based in healthy decision-making and that minimizes risky sexual behaviors • perception that healthy relationships are valued by peers dh i The Challenge: Despite a low state average in Massachusetts, two communities (Holyoke and Springfield) have relatively high rates of teen pregnancy. In addition, each has a large racial and ethnic disparity in teen birth rates. • In Holyoke, the rate among Hispanic teens is 5 times that of White teens • In Springfield, the rate among Black, Non-Hispanic teens is #The DFL: Campaign Strategy A grassroots counter-messaging campaign executed by teens for teens, #TheDFL utilizes an integrated online/offline strategy to spread positive messages through a website, social media, online advertising, and word-of-mouth tactics. PHASE I: Ambassador “Street” Team and the community CAMPAIGN KEY PROMISE: You can get attention, acceptance, and validation without having sex and/or becoming pregnant. more than 3 times that of White teens Background: Youth First is a CDC-funded community-wide initiative led by the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy (MATP) to reduce teen pregnancy rates in Springfield and Holyoke by 10% by 2015. In the spring of 2012, MATP contracted with the Health Communication department of Health Resources in Action (HRiA) to develop a social marketing strategy as part of Youth First. PHASE I: Ambassador Street Team • Recruited and asked to look and listen for examples of DFL in their environments • Identified “Tumblr-style” messages and quotes to populate promotional materials and website prior to launch • Seeded DFL into the community via social media and through a grassroots marketing tool-kit The Social Marketing Exchange: The audience needs to care about the campaign’s key The HRiA Approach: We use in-depth formative research to create audience-centric communication solutions that improve individual and community health. Target Audience: Latina and African American females 13-17 What Did We Learn? The audience needs to care about the campaign s key promise and think it is worth investing in for the message to resonate. A campaign based on messages that offer benefits gained in the far off future will often fall flat for a young audience. What Did We Learn? • Teens are often around or in unhealthy relationships • Female-female relationships were often categorized as mean, jealous, and unreliable and visible role models or valued identities for teen girls are limited • There is a lack of negative expectancies around becoming a teen parent and some perceived rewards or benefits to teen pregnancy and parenting • Negative norms about sex and relationships are often reinforced through social media • Teen girls share a common desire to feel loved and appreciated, safe PHASE II: Website and Online Advertising The launch of thedramafreelife.com • “Social” (Twitter and Instagram feeds, “DFL voices,” and resources) • Quizzes and polls • Guy Q&A - questions about guys, answered by real guys • Pass it on - customizable Facebook app to send positive messages to friends and family The target audience may fear that by not engaging in risky sex or getting pregnant they: • Are giving up attention they crave • May lose romantic opportunities • Could damage their credibility or status among their peers Acknowledgements: Thank you to our youth ambassadors and community partners in Holyoke and Springfield, particularly the Social Norms Action Team, for their hard work in making DFL possible. Health Resources in Action would like to thank creative partner GY&K Antler. and stable, confident and comfortable, and VALIDATED • The attention of a boy and acceptance and respect of peers are very powerful motivators Communication Opportunities: The Birth of the Drama-free Life • Create a norm or expectation around good or worthwhile (“healthy”) relationships • Model choices, options, and outlets for experiencing validation • Develop a counter-message to the constant and at times negative stream of messages and images online and offline that contribute to norms and expectancies around relationships, sex, and teen messages to friends and family Online advertising (Facebook ads and Google Ad words) PHASE III: Experiential and Guerrilla Marketing High visibility events and activities that continue the gradual “discovery” of DFL in Springfield • One permanent mural installation (side of building) • 4-5 temporary installations (benches, trees, and fences) • Increased distribution of grassroots promotional materials • Ongoing ambassador engagement with and online posting of installations to increase the likelihood of activities going In exchange, by engaging in healthy dating behaviors the campaign promises: • Positive attention that makes you feel good, proud, and strong • The ability to avoid the drama and stay positive • The respect of their peers (both girls and boys) AUTHORS: Julie Banda, MPH; Karen Schoneman, MA; Diane Barry Preston, MS; Erica Fletcher, EdM; Patricia Quinn, BA; Catherine Hummel, MPH norms and expectancies around relationships, sex, and teen pregnancy of installations to increase the likelihood of activities going “viral” on social media This publication was made possible by Cooperative Agreement Number 5U58DP002927 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Adolescent Health. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC or HHS.
