The National Prevention Media Initiative Case Study: A Road Paved with Good Intentions

Background: Need for media support for community-based obesity education program

Program background:

Evaluation Methods and Results:

Conclusions: Opportunities in moving from a national to a local campaign

Implications for research and/or practice: Author:Jeff McKenna, M.S., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA Co-Authors: John Strand, FHI 360 TITLE:  The National Prevention Media Initiative Case Study: A road paved with good intentions Background: When we learned that CDC would be managing a $30 million media campaign in support of Communities Putting Prevention to Work, we realized we were being presented with both an unprecedented opportunity and a potential challenge – the opportunity of doing groundbreaking social marketing around chronic disease prevention (especially obesity prevention), and the challenge of working on a highly politicized program with limited time to show measurable impact. In this panel we will present the rationale and purpose of the media initiative, the communication science that informed our decisions, the strategy that drove development and implementation, and the political sensitivities that the campaign needed to navigate. Program Background: Five areas will be covered:

• ·         Background and campaign strategy
• ·         Creative and campaign development
• ·         The transition from a national to a local approach
• ·         Concept testing and campaign evaluation
• ·         Lessons learned

Evaluation Methods and Results: While we touch on communication theory and the evidence base of effective media interventions, this presentation is intended to present a real-world case study that details some of the major challenges we encountered and how we worked around and through them.   Conclusions: At the end of the panelists’ presentations we will highlight major lessons learned, and how audience members can apply these lessons in their own work. Implications for Research and Practice: We will leave ample time for questions and discussion.