YA Counter Advertising
The Rescue SCG Approach
BBCBCA uses hard-hitting counter-advertising to change tobacco attitudes specifically amongst young adults who currently smoke or are at-risk of smoking. BBCBCA fits within the Media component of the MAPPS model for comprehensive tobacco prevention. In addition, BBCBCA can assist policy change efforts within the MAPPS model through messaging and education at events to generate support from a hard-to-reach audience.
Components of Full-Service Intervention Management
Rescue SCG is able to fully implement a BBCBCA intervention in your local community with local staff recruited from within the local young adult culture. Rescue SCG begins with expeditious formative research that provides specific recommendations such as message(s), venues, social leaders, and tobacco attitudes to target. Implementation focuses on branded events at bars and clubs that deliver anti-tobacco messaging and create experiences that associate positive identity characteristics with a tobacco-free lifestyle. In between events, RSCG delivers messaging through brand ambassadors, direct mail, web, and street marketing, while a local advertising agency partner places radio, outdoor and print media2.
Branded Bar & Club Events – These events create direct experiences that associate a tobacco-free lifestyle with identity and cultural characteristics desired by at-risk young adults. Messaging at events occurs through displays, event campaign staff, and social activities.
Brand Ambassadors – Influential young adults are recruited and trained to represent the brand in their social environments. In between events, these brand ambassadors reinforce and redistribute the anti-tobacco message authentically.
Database Marketing – Similar to the tobacco industry, mailing lists of at-risk young adults are compiled and direct mail advertisements are sent to reinforce the behavior change message in between events.
Supplementary Traditional Media2 – Web, radio, outdoor and print media are used to reinforce the message that is delivered through real-life experiences in bars and clubs. Typically, Rescue SCG manages web strategies, while a local ad agency places radio, outdoor and print media.
Process evaluation is based on event attendance, web traffic, mailing list sign-ups and periodic surveying, while outcome evaluation can be conducted by surveying cross-sectional or cohort samples.1 Rescue SCG provides a logic model, sample survey instruments and impact timeline to assist with evaluation planning.
2 TV Advertising is not recommended for young adult populations since other medias reach young adults at higher risk of smoking.
