Promising Strategies for Media Health and Safety Campaigns Dr. Charles Atkin Michigan State University

Public Communication Campaigns Mediated messages disseminated to large audiences in homes and communities 1. Drunk driving & safety belts 2. High-risk drinking 3. Youth violence 4. Gun safety 5. Breast cancer environmental risks

Conventional Campaigns: LIMITED EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR Media are efficient… but typically produce only modest degree of impact due to: light quantity of dissemination light quantity of dissemination low potency of message content & style low potency of message content & style selective exposure by prime targets selective exposure by prime targets audience resistance to being influenced audience resistance to being influenced … safe practices: BENEFITS > COSTS ? … safe practices: BENEFITS > COSTS ?

Beyond Creativity Creative Inspiration vs. Disciplined Design Overemphasis on artistic expression… catchy slogans, death symbols, clever characters catchy slogans, death symbols, clever characters Effectiveness = Creativity + Effectiveness = Creativity + Discipline

Strategic Framework Audience Analysis Audience Analysis Direct & indirect influence models Direct & indirect influence models Persuasive appeals Persuasive appeals Educational content Educational content Research inputs at each stage Research inputs at each stage

10 10 Strategies of Effective Campaigners Recent advances in media theory and research yields strategic improvements Recent advances in media theory and research yields strategic improvements Successful examples from own prevention studies in the safety domain Successful examples from own prevention studies in the safety domain

#1 #1 Fine-Tune Fear Appeals More effective if message presents…. SUSCEPTIBILITY EVIDENCE SUSCEPTIBILITY EVIDENCE SUBTLE PORTRAYAL OF THREAT SUBTLE PORTRAYAL OF THREAT EFFICACY INSTRUCTION EFFICACY INSTRUCTION

#2 Diversify Persuasive Appeals Multiple Mild & Likely Incentives > Standard Severe & Unlikely Fear Appeal Standard Severe & Unlikely Fear Appeal Diverse outcomes: MINOR PHYSICAL THREATS SOCIAL / PSYCH / MORAL SOCIAL / PSYCH / MORAL ECONOMIC / LEGAL ECONOMIC / LEGAL POSITIVE INCENTIVES POSITIVE INCENTIVES

#3 #3 Accentuate the Positive Greater emphasis on promoting product line of Greater emphasis on promoting product line of SAFE PRACTICES Create attractive labels & images Sensitize to media environment Sensitize to media environment Cue audience into pro-safety messages

#4 #4 Address the Competition Two-sided message strategy to deftly undermine unsafe practice Two-sided message strategy to deftly undermine unsafe practice Refutational discounting. of perceived advantages Acknowledge seemingly attractive aspects… …then argue that consequence is unlikely,. underwhelming, or unimportant. …then argue that consequence is unlikely,. underwhelming, or unimportant.

#4a Competition Inoculate against anti-safety media stimuli discrepant with campaign: Inoculate against anti-safety media stimuli discrepant with campaign: ADS NEWS ENTERTAINMENT ADS NEWS ENTERTAINMENT -- Media literacy training -- Media literacy training -- Parody, ridicule, counterargue -- Parody, ridicule, counterargue

#5 Identify Ideal Messengers Source presenters: EXPERT EXPERIENCED (Top 5) EXPERIENCED CELEBRITY CELEBRITY CHARACTER CHARACTER ORDINARY ORDINARY Engaging Credible Memorable Relevant Engaging Credible Memorable Relevant Depends on message… channel… audience

#6 Enlarge Quantity #6 Economically Enlarge Quantity Imaginative publicity Imaginative publicity Intermittent scheduling Intermittent scheduling PROXIMATE PULSATION PROXIMATE PULSATION Reinstate periodically forever Reinstate periodically forever NEWCOMERS BACKSLIDERS EVOLVERS NEWCOMERS BACKSLIDERS EVOLVERS

#6a ENTERTAINMENT-EDUCATION Skillfully embed health & safety info in engaging formats: in engaging formats: TV: Program Inserts TV: Program Inserts PRINT: Comic Books PRINT: Comic Books INTERNET: Serious Games INTERNET: Serious Games “Product Placement”

#7 Media Combinations Lite Channels (Brief & Intrusive) Lite Channels (Brief & Intrusive) Spots Billboards Spots Billboards Rich Channels (Deep & Retrievable) Rich Channels (Deep & Retrievable) Pamphlets Websites Programs Pamphlets Websites Programs Lite  Rich Info-Seeking: Lite  Rich

#8 SUPPLEMENTAL PATHWAYS Media + Interpersonal TWO-STEP FLOW MEDIA OPINION LEADER OTHERS

#8a Supplemental Paths Prompt the personal influencers Prompt the personal influencers -- FAMILY -- FAMILY -- PEERS -- PEERS -- AUTHORITY FIGURES -- AUTHORITY FIGURES Messages to motivate those in position to educate, persuade, control Messages to motivate those in position to educate, persuade, control

#9 #9 Key Supplement: Media Advocacy Specialized campaign messages to change environmental conditions by influencing: Specialized campaign messages to change environmental conditions by influencing: -- ENFORCERS -- ENFORCERS -- DEVELOPERS -- DEVELOPERS -- PUBLIC OPINION -- PUBLIC OPINION -- POLICY MAKERS -- POLICY MAKERS -- CORPORATIONS -- CORPORATIONS

#9a Media advocacy Alter media & real-world environment Alter media & real-world environment -- RESTRICT ADVERTISING -- RESTRICT ADVERTISING -- ENACT LAWS AND POLICIES -- ENACT LAWS AND POLICIES -- ENERGIZE ENFORCEMENT -- ENERGIZE ENFORCEMENT

#10 #10 Strategic Ambiguity Multi-purpose visual & verbal execution engenders differential interpretations: Versatile stimuli concurrently impact multiple target audiences Versatile stimuli concurrently impact multiple target audiences Implicit or imprecise recommendations reduce reactance Implicit or imprecise recommendations reduce reactance Symbolic images, atypical examples, vague language surmount weak case Symbolic images, atypical examples, vague language surmount weak case

Conclusion Sophisticated strategies improve odds of success: Apply disciplined design & analysis Apply disciplined design & analysis Diversify pathways… incentives… channels Diversify pathways… incentives… channels Stretch resources with publicity… Stretch resources with publicity… pulsing… product placement pulsing… product placement Combine persuasive messages with environmental reforms Combine persuasive messages with environmental reforms