Description of Strategy
Mass media campaigns employ brief, recurring messages over time (weeks to years) to provide information or motivation to children and adolescents with the goal of increasing or improving health behaviors. Mass media techniques primarily include broadcast messages on television and radio, although other formats such as billboards, print, and movies have been used. Campaigns can focus on messages targeting children and adolescents or can include such messages as part of an overall anti-alcohol, -tobacco, and -other drug effort (for example, including messages targeting tobacco users to increase cessation and messages about reducing exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke) (Task Force on Community Preventive Services, 2005).
Also known as...
Compliance checks media, SUI media campaign, social host campaign, red ribbon weeks, officer recognitions, worth it drive sober
Discussion of Effectiveness
Alcohol
Evidence suggests that use of mass media appropriately is an effective strategy for alcohol and tobacco (Elder et al., 2004; Farrelly, Niederdeppe, & Yarsevich, 2003). Two systematic reviews (The Community Guide, 2010; University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014) found carefully-planned, well-executed, and broadly-distributed mass media campaigns targeting alcohol-impaired driving were effective when they were combined with other ongoing alcohol-impaired driving activities.
Tobacco
Evidence suggests that use of mass media appropriately is an effective strategy for alcohol and tobacco (Elder et al., 2004; Farrelly, Niederdeppe, & Yarsevich, 2003). Two systematic reviews (The Community Guide, 2010; University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014) found carefully-planned, well-executed, and broadly-distributed mass media campaigns targeting alcohol-impaired driving were effective when they were combined with other ongoing alcohol-impaired driving activities.
Prescription & Other Drugs
While not robust, there is some evidence to suggest this strategy is also effective for other drugs (Wakefield, Loken, & Hornik, 2010).