The National Prevention Media Initiative Case Study: Creative Campaign Development and the Weathervane Effect

Background: Even under the best circumstances, developing the “wow” creative concept at the heart of a campaign can be an arduous process. From identifying, testing, and executing against a single-minded promise to gaining consensus among internal and external stakeholders, the National Prevention Media Initiative saw more than its fair share of barriers and obstacles. From the start our roadmap took us off the high-speed interstate to meander down side roads full of detours and dead ends. Though not the most efficient route, our trip was full of exploration and scenic vistas that ended up yielding a rich mosaic of ideas and executions that now enrich the landscape of public health social marketing.  

Program background: The National Prevention Media Initiative was originally conceived to support the work of Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) communities through the development of an overarching national brand and media campaign consisting of hard-hitting messages to promote healthy behaviors and positive environmental changes. Building on the evidence base of effective anti-tobacco campaigns, we hoped to crack the code and develop best practices for similar work in obesity prevention by exposing the powerful influence of the “toxic” nutrition and physical activity environments on the choices that people make in their everyday lives.

Evaluation Methods and Results: Focus group testing

Conclusions: We will discuss the difficulty of processing conflicting direction from various stakeholders regarding the campaign’s focus, tone, and implementation; We will discuss the challenge of getting people to think beyond individual behavior change to recognize the critical role also played by the environment; We will describe the development and testing of an umbrella national brand intended to unify and amplify individual community efforts under a single, compelling banner; We will share some of the creative concepts that were developed and the results of audience testing; And we will describe the process of vetting, refining, and reaching consensus on concepts and messages with subject-matter experts and leadership, all with their own concerns and priorities.

Implications for research and/or practice: Developing branding and creative concepts for a public health campaign; adjusting campaign direction in response to stakeholder input 1. Discuss the process of campaign branding and strategy development 2. Understand the impact of changes in direction on the development process 3. Describe the process of reviewing and evaluating creative products