Market Research on teenagers and young adults for promoting a tobacco cessation Quitline

1
Market Research on teenagers and young adults for
promoting a tobacco cessation Quitline
Kurt M. Ribisl, PhD Kevin Leibel, MBA Allison
Myers, MPH, CHES Sonya Sutton, MA Rebecca
Williams, MHS, PhD Nikie Sarris, BA
2
The NC Health and Wellness Task Force Commission
provided funds to the UNC-iM research team to
develop an innovative formative research process
to create a long-term vision for the NC
Quitline The objective of our research was to
guide efforts to spend HWTFCs promotional
dollars most effectively and efficiently
3
Quitline Market Research Project Map
Understanding of current marketing practices
targeting young adults
Phase 1 Observational study of social venues and
campus events
Campaign to promote the NC Quitline to young
adult smokers
Development of preliminary concepts for testing
Phase 3 Web based survey of young adult smokers
Phase 2 Focus groups with teenage and young
adult smokers in rural and urban NC counties
Understanding of young adults and teenagers
tobacco use behaviors and attitudes and interest
in a Quitline
4
Background Quitlines are an evidence-based
strategy but need to be supported by innovative
marketing activities

• According to the Task Force on Community
  Preventive Services, telephone counseling and
  support when combined with multi-component
  programs, are a proven evidence-based strategy
  for promoting the cessation of tobacco use.
• The state of Texas recently launched an
  innovative marketing and promotional campaign to
  stimulate calls to their Quitline using
  television, radio, newspaper, and billboard
  advertising. They also increased the availability
  of and access to cessation counseling and
  pharmacologic therapy (e.g., nicotine patches) to
  reduce nicotine dependence.
• These innovative marketing efforts, in
  conjunction with improved access to services,
  tripled the rate of smoking reduction when
  compared to areas that received no intervention.

5
There is now a burgeoning literature on how to
promote Quitlines to adult smokers.

• However, very little is known about how to
  promote Quitlines to a teenage and young adult
  audience, and the response to helplines depends
  directly on promotion to advertise their
  availability to smokers (Miller, 2005, ii53).

6
The key to success is ensuring that our marketing
efforts compel teenage and young adult smokers to
call the Quitline
Based on Free Clears Quit Rate of 25.2
Current NC Quitline Call Budget is 10,000 calls
7
For the marketing efforts of North Carolinas
Quitline to be successful, our brand must
effectively compete with all of the other
marketing messages that are attempting to reach
these savvy teens and young adults.

• In other words, the Quitline message must break
  through the clutter and resonate with the target
  audience if we are to successfully drive teens
  and young adult traffic to the service.

8
Where is this clutter? Everywhere.

• Who is our competition?
• Everyone.

9
Campuses, Clubs
10
Concerts, Sporting Events
11
Convenience stores, Malls
12
Does this Resonate with our target audience?
13
Are you talking to me?
14
We must compete with the best marketers in the
world.

• Teenagers and young adults are one of the most
  coveted audiences for professional marketers who
  are trying to sell them a wide array of consumer
  products and services.
• Therefore, our purpose has been to conduct market
  research that will ultimately guide the effective
  marketing and promotion of the tobacco use
  cessation telephone Quitline for teenage and
  young adult tobacco users in North Carolina.

15
Quitline Market Research Project Map
Understanding of current marketing practices
targeting young adults
Phase 1 Observational study of social venues and
campus events
Campaign to promote the NC Quitline to young
adult smokers
Development of preliminary concepts for testing
Phase 3 Web based survey of young adult smokers
Phase 2 Focus groups with teenage and young
adult smokers in rural and urban NC counties
Understanding of young adults and teenagers
tobacco use behaviors and attitudes and interest
in a Quitline
16
During Phase 1, the statewide observational
study, our team visited 55 young adult social
venues in 25 North Carolina towns.
17
To understand young adults, we must go where they
are and see what they see.

• The goal of the observational study was to
  determine how goods and services are promoted to
  young adults in their social environment.
• Observational Study video highlights.

18
All of the messages delivered at social venues,
campuses, and campus events are about
relationships.

• The HWTF and the Quitline must build
  relationships with the target, just as the major
  marketers do everyday in the marketplace.

19
We must start with an introductory handshake,
establish group membership, and, ultimately offer
an improved lifestyle. We must launch the
Quitline as if it were a new product.
20
Quitline Market Research Project Map
Understanding of current marketing practices
targeting young adults
Phase 1 Observational study of social venues and
campus events
Campaign to promote the NC Quitline to young
adult smokers
Development of preliminary concepts for testing
Phase 3 Web based survey of young adult smokers
Phase 2 Focus groups with teenage and young
adult smokers in rural and urban NC counties
Understanding of young adults and teenagers
tobacco use behaviors and attitudes and interest
in a Quitline
21
During Phase 2, our team conducted focus groups
with teenage and young adults smokers in rural
and urban North Carolina counties.

• Where Polk, McDowell, New Hanover, Watauga,
  Orange, Forsyth, Nash and Guilford Counties
• What
• 10 groups with young adults aged 18 to 24, some
  students and some non-students
• 5 groups with teenagers aged 15 to 17
• When Winter 2005 to Spring 2006

22
10 focus groups were conducted to better
understand our target audience

• Our discussions focused on six main topics
• Tobacco use behaviors
• Thoughts on quitting tobacco
• Reactions to the idea of a tobacco Quitline
• Reactions to the current cold turkey poster
• Ideas about what the Quitline should be like
• Ideas about how to promote the Quitline

23
Focus groups with teen and young adult smokers
resulted in important implications for the
Quitline, with regard to

• The Quitline product itself
• Quitline message development and positioning
• Message channels and delivery techniques
• Video Highlights
• Full details can be found in our written report

24
Major Implication from Phase 2 Focus Groups

• We must overcome respondent skepticism that
  Quitline is not for them by proving that the
  Quitline process and coaches are relevant to
  these specific age groups.

25
The insights and implications resulting from
Phases 1 and 2 enabled our team to develop
preliminary Quitline promotional message concepts

• We conducted 4 focus groups to test preliminary
  Quitline message concepts
• Although we had many concepts, we have provided 4
  examples

26
Most Popular Concepts After Focus Groups

• One call and you can start to feel good
• One call to the NC Quitline will help you feel
  good again
• One size does not fit all
• The Quitline designed especially for you
• We totally know where you are coming from
• Talk to someone who has been there and knows what
  its like
• Well be here when youre ready to talk
• We are ready to help you quit when you are ready
  to quit

27
Respondent reactions varied based on commitment
to quit, stage of awareness and beliefs about a
Quitline

• It is important that Quitline messages recognize
  and respond to various reactions via appropriate
  creative execution

28
Quitline Market Research Project Map
Understanding of current marketing practices
targeting young adults
Phase 1 Observational study of social venues and
campus events
Campaign to promote the NC Quitline to young
adult smokers
Development of preliminary concepts for testing
Phase 3 Web based survey of young adult smokers
Phase 2 Focus groups with teenage and young
adult smokers in rural and urban NC counties
Understanding of young adults and teenagers
tobacco use behaviors and attitudes and interest
in a Quitline
29
Phase 3 Research Web Survey

• We conducted a national web survey with
  approximately 1,200 young adult smokers.
• The approximately 15- minute survey included 44
  questions and more than 60 variables
• The survey included questions about respondents
  tobacco use behaviors, media use behaviors,
  readiness to quit and feedback 10 concepts we
  developed, plus 6 Quitline images from existing
  campaigns
• The survey results, combined with our other
  research, will give us the ability to tailor
  messages to the targets based on Stages of Change

30
(No Transcript)
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
Quitline Market Research Project Map
Understanding of current marketing practices
targeting young adults
Phase 1 Observational study of social venues and
campus events
Campaign to promote the NC Quitline to young
adult smokers
Development of preliminary concepts for testing
Phase 3 Web based survey of young adult smokers
Phase 2 Focus groups with teenage and young
adult smokers in rural and urban NC counties
Understanding of young adults and teenagers
tobacco use behaviors and attitudes and interest
in a Quitline
34
Next Steps

• Web Survey Data Analysis
• Final Recommended Campaign Strategy
• Final Deliverable on April 28
• Includes a final report summarizes all 3 research
  phases
• Incdlues DVD
• Recommended Campaign

35
Thank You

• We greatly appreciate the support of the HWTF
  staff during this research process and the
  foresight of the HWTF Commission to fund this
  important research

36
Market research on teenagers and young adults for
promoting a tobacco cessation Quitline
For more information, contact Sonya Sutton, MA,
Project Director, Quitline Market Research
ssutton_at_unc.edu 919 966 4118
The science and sizzle of contemporary health
promotion.