Preventing tobacco use through TRU stories
10.04.2010
In:
Healthcare / Life Sciences,
Advertising / Design
Along with the support of grassroots activity in local North Carolina communities, HWTF’s statewide media campaign has helped prevent more than 53,000 teens from using tobacco. A key part to that success is telling real stories of people affected by tobacco. Research tells us that hard-hitting testimonials about the serious health consequences of tobacco use are the most effective way to reach teens.
In our latest round of testimonial TV spots, we present the stories of Justin and Destini. Justin Andrews, a 30-year-old with a wife and young son, decided on his 28th birthday that it was time to quit smoking, only to discover six months later that he had waited too long – he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Seventeen year-old Destini Donaldson lost her father to a battle with lung cancer this past December, and the television ads reveal the pain of having to face her future without her father.
How do we know ads like Justin and Destini’s are effective in reaching teens? The most recent evaluation report from researchers at the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Family Medicine’s Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program (TPEP) found that:
- Youth awareness of TRU ads is now at 77%.
- More than 94% of NC youth who had seen the TRU ads reported they were convincing, attention-grabbing and gave good reasons not to smoke.
- More than 30% who had seen the TRU ads reported that they talked to their friends about the ads, indicating high “chat value.”
These statistics show that the TRU campaign is making great progress toward building the first tobacco-free generation in North Carolina. See for yourself how these powerful stories are shaping the attitudes of North Carolina teens.
Watch previous work from the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund:
