Ads in Cinemas - Do They Ads in Cinemas - Do They Develop Anti-Tobacco Develop Anti-Tobacco

Attitudes Among Youth?Attitudes Among Youth?

Sue Walker - Research ManagerSue Walker - Research Manager

Heidi Flaxman - Youth Marketing ManagerHeidi Flaxman - Youth Marketing Manager

The ProblemThe Problem

• Still too many young people smoking..Still too many young people smoking..

Smoking PrevalenceSmoking Prevalence - Yr 10 Students - Yr 10 Students (ASH Yr 10 Survey 2006)(ASH Yr 10 Survey 2006)

MalesMales FemalesFemales

MaoriMaori 20.7%20.7% 37%37%

PacificPacific 13.9%13.9% 21.4%21.4%

Euro/OtherEuro/Other 8.1%8.1% 12.9%12.9%

The GoalThe Goal

- to increase anti-tobacco attitudes among young to increase anti-tobacco attitudes among young people aged 12-14 yearspeople aged 12-14 years

Primary Objective: Primary Objective:

- increase negative perceptions of social outcomes of tobacco use increase negative perceptions of social outcomes of tobacco use

Secondary Objectives:Secondary Objectives:

- to correct misconceptions of smoking prevalence in NZto correct misconceptions of smoking prevalence in NZ- increase self-efficacy of refusing tobaccoincrease self-efficacy of refusing tobacco- de-normalise smoking among young peoplede-normalise smoking among young people- increase anti tobacco-industry attitudes among young peopleincrease anti tobacco-industry attitudes among young people- to decrease the influence of movies depicting smoking on youth audiencesto decrease the influence of movies depicting smoking on youth audiences

The Target AudienceThe Target Audience

• young people aged 12-14 years, young people aged 12-14 years, especially young womenespecially young women

• MaoriMaori• PacificPacific• young people from low-socio-economic young people from low-socio-economic

householdshouseholds

How to influence attitudes?How to influence attitudes?

• Evidence – shows that advertising is Evidence – shows that advertising is effective in developing anti-tobacco effective in developing anti-tobacco attitudes and reducing the influence of attitudes and reducing the influence of smoking in moviessmoking in movies

> Center for Prevention Research and Development Center for Prevention Research and Development (2005)(2005)

> Edwards, CA et al (2004 & 2007)Edwards, CA et al (2004 & 2007)> Wilson, N (2007)Wilson, N (2007)> Price, L (2007) – Tobacco in the media and youth Price, L (2007) – Tobacco in the media and youth

smoking - on www.hsc.org.nzsmoking - on www.hsc.org.nz

How to Influence Attitudes?How to Influence Attitudes?

• Evidence – also shows that celebrities Evidence – also shows that celebrities can be an effective way to can be an effective way to communicate with young peoplecommunicate with young people

> Borland, Naccavella and Hill (1998) - young people Borland, Naccavella and Hill (1998) - young people with low self-esteem tend to identify with TV with low self-esteem tend to identify with TV characters, watch more TV, perceive what they see as characters, watch more TV, perceive what they see as real and want to be like the TV characters in real and want to be like the TV characters in comparison to youth with higher self esteem comparison to youth with higher self esteem

> Freeman B, et al (2004) - young people are accepting Freeman B, et al (2004) - young people are accepting of smoking imagery that fits with their expectations of of smoking imagery that fits with their expectations of a particular personality, or social/cultural context a particular personality, or social/cultural context

The ChallengesThe Challenges

• Limited funding Limited funding • Limited timeLimited time• Limited number of celebrities who fit the Limited number of celebrities who fit the

criteriacriteria • Evaluating effectiveness of one cinema adEvaluating effectiveness of one cinema ad

The Solution (1)The Solution (1)

• Developed and piloted an ad that:Developed and piloted an ad that:– played in cinemas in areas where the target played in cinemas in areas where the target

audience livedaudience lived– played prior to movies likely to be popular with the played prior to movies likely to be popular with the

target audiencetarget audience– featured celebrities popular with the target featured celebrities popular with the target

audience, and who displayed the desired audience, and who displayed the desired characteristicscharacteristics

• Evaluated the impact of the ad on the target Evaluated the impact of the ad on the target audienceaudience

The Solution (2)The Solution (2)

• Countered cost / time constraints by:Countered cost / time constraints by:– employing low-cost technology and youth-employing low-cost technology and youth-

centred channelscentred channels– reinforcing messages from cinema ads by:reinforcing messages from cinema ads by:

> developing a campaign websitedeveloping a campaign website> running a text competition running a text competition > using supporting media (print, and outdoor ads)using supporting media (print, and outdoor ads)> using YouTube and other unpaid media using YouTube and other unpaid media

• The filmsThe films

The Cinema AdThe Cinema Ad

Does it Work?Does it Work?

• To evaluate the impact of the To evaluate the impact of the advertisements on the target audience:advertisements on the target audience:– over 900 12 to14-year-olds were recruited over 900 12 to14-year-olds were recruited

(with parental consent)(with parental consent)– assigned to a control (no ad) and exposed assigned to a control (no ad) and exposed

group (ad shown before a movie)group (ad shown before a movie)– completed questionnaires pre- and post-completed questionnaires pre- and post-

movie – analysis compares responsesmovie – analysis compares responses– research by Research Solutions Ltdresearch by Research Solutions Ltd

Pre- and post-movie attitudesPre- and post-movie attitudes

63%

12%

2%

81%

75%

68%

11%

4%

77% 75%

66%

16%

5%

77% 76%73%

13%

6%

82%78%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Agree someonesmoking turns me

off

Agree smokinghelps people meet /

talk

Agree smoking canmake people sexy

Definitely would notsmoke from friend

Definitely would notsmoke next 12

months

Exposed - pre Control - pre Exposed - post Control - post

Responses were Responses were mostly consistent pre mostly consistent pre and post-movie – no and post-movie – no evidence that the ad evidence that the ad is causing an is causing an immediate change in immediate change in attitudes towards attitudes towards smoking – consistent smoking – consistent with another NZ studywith another NZ study

What they thought about the adWhat they thought about the adBut - responses But - responses to the ad were to the ad were very positive – very positive – especially for especially for Pacific youthPacific youth

75%71%

61% 62%57%

66%

81%75%

66% 68%61%

72%75%

61% 63%

53%

41%

68%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Makes youthink

Stood out fromother ads

Is relevant topeople like you

Is quite cool Better opinionof being a non-

smoker

Increasedinterest in

becoming /staying a non-

smoker

Maori Pacific General population

What they thought about celebritiesWhat they thought about celebrities31%

18%

25%

12%

36%

21%

30%

26%

28%

27%

31%

26%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Exposed

Control

Susceptible - exposed

Susceptible - control

Not-Susceptible - exposed

Not-Susceptible - control

Celebrities definitely would encourage someone to be a non-smoker

Celebrities probably would encourage someone to be a non-smoker

= significant at 95%

confidence level

Overall the ad has a Overall the ad has a positive persuasion positive persuasion profile. profile.

The celebrities are key The celebrities are key to its persuasiveness.to its persuasiveness.

Where to From Here?Where to From Here?

• Upgraded to mass media campaign (TV, Upgraded to mass media campaign (TV, radio, bus shelter, internet, posters)radio, bus shelter, internet, posters)

• Campaign likely to extend until at least Campaign likely to extend until at least mid-2008mid-2008

• Further evaluation plannedFurther evaluation planned