Contact Jacalyn C. Spoon
Perceive Reality!
A social marketing campaign designed to change the perception of alcohol consumption on the Ithaca College Campus.
by Jacalyn C. Spoon
April 30, 2002
Many college students overestimate the extent to which their peers use alcohol. It is believed that many students begin drinking when they come to college. These students are pressured into drinking by what they perceive to be the normal behavior of a college student. At IC their perception of what other students on campus drink is 2 or more drinks over the actual reported number. The Perceive Reality! Campaign aims to reduce peer pressure to empower students and to give them the opportunity and the tools to decide to say no to the first beer or to just one more, there by reducing the amount of binge drinking significantly.
In December 1999 the Task force on alcohol and other drug abuse prevention completed their report to Ithaca College President Peggy R. Williams. They determined that 58.7 % of Ithaca College students had reported binge drinking in the last 2 weeks. The term Binge drinking is generally accepted as drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks such as a bottle of beer, a glass of wine or a shot glass of liquor at one. Students who reported current binge drinking were significantly more likely to report the use of cigarette, marijuana use, cocaine use and the use of other drugs.
“According to a report from the Commission on substance abuse at Colleges and Universities, alcohol was involved in 2/3’s of college student suicides, 9 out of 10 rapes, and 95% of violent crimes on campus” (Jones et al 2001 p.33).
According to several studies, including one done by the National Institute of Health recently, students who are most likely to binge drink are white male students attending schools in the Northeast who are involved in athletics. The average quantity of alcohol consumed by Intercollegiate Athletes at IC was 5.48 but the perceived quantity was 6.45. While this number is extremely high it is still less than that consumed by the general IC population.
Þ Men at IC are perceived as consuming 7.77 drinks at a party or bar but the actual number consumed is reported to be 5.63 drinks - 2 drinks less than the perceived norm.
Þ Women at IC reported drinking 3.9 drinks at a party or bar but the perceived number or drinks consumed was 5.02 - 2 less drinks than that perceived.
According to Jeff Linkenbach director of student-health promotion at Montana State “Students are more influenced by what they perceive as normal than what they perceive as healthy”(Gosse 1999). Imaginary peer pressure supports a heavier drinking norm than is real. Normal drinking behavior is under personal cognitive control just as is exercising and eating a healthy diet.
Social norms campaigns have run at Colleges and Universities through out the US. Many are still in the early stages but results appear promising. According toMichael P. Haines, coordinator of health enhancement services at Northern Illinois University in the 6 years the social norms campaign was run, student perception of the number of binge drinkers dropped by more than 1/3 from the initial figure and “actual drinking reported also fell by more than 1/3” (Gose 1999).
The University of Arizona has also “seen declines in heavy drinking” since it began using the social norms model. The university began running ads in the newspaper expounding on a social norm such as “64 percent of students have 4 or fewer drinks when they party”. The following Spring the college saw an 8% drop in binge drinking as reported by undergraduates (Gosse 1999).
· Campaign objectives
Priscilla Quirk the Ithaca College Health Promotion and Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinator, as well as other members of the Health Promotion Committee have shared their visions of possible campaign directions. I have met with the committee one time and with Ms. Quirk alone 2 times. The primary objective of my work will be to design a social marketing campaign directed at Ithaca College students to promote healthier social norms in regard to alcohol use. The Perceive Reality! Campaign is designed to be a long term campaign, lasting 5 or more years.
The main objective of the campaign is to reduce the number of drinks presumed consumed by peers, leading to a reduction in peer pressure to consume alcoholic beverages. Decreases in the numbers of alcoholic drinks reported consumed by IC students should be seen. Percentages of students reporting binge drinking should decrease and a decrease in the number of negative incidents involving alcohol consumption or drunkenness by IC students should also be seen. Quantitative measurement will be done with repeated administration of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey Long Form developed by the Core Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. The results of the 2001 survey are still pending at this time.
· Formative Evaluation
The Core Institute survey has already provided base information. It will also necessary to understand the drinking culture of the campus. When I came to campus in 1986 the drinking culture of the campus was a kin to, a free for all. I feel that the changes that have already taken place are having an effect but, the drinking culture is resilient and resistant to change.
To design a campaign for Ithaca College it was necessary for me to understand the Human Subjects Research Guidelines (http://www.ithaca.edu/frg/section7.htm#ref). All research to be carried out at Ithaca College must meet the HSR guidelines, including any research done for institutional purposes. Research which has been performed in the past by another College has a better chance of passing the HSR review. This campaign should be considered research as it will be necessary to occasionally test to see if it is meeting it’s goals and to redirect or redesign portions of the campaign. It is also academically responsible to publish results for the common good.
It is important to understand what currently is being done on campus to curb drinking and change the culture so as not to overlap or contradict programs. The Presidents Task force developed and recommended a 9 point plan be implemented, several of which have already been implemented. Measurement of the effectiveness of these aspects should be accomplished in the Core survey of 2001. The After Dark Program, implemented in the Fall of 2001, provides activities on campus for students as an alternative to the club, bar or, party scene. According to Loren Meyers the program coordinator After Dark has been successful in attracting first year students but less so in attracting others such as football players.
· Campaign allies
The primary ally for the Perceive Reality! campaign would be the Intercollegiate Athletic Department Associate Director Michael Lindberg (274-3199). It is with his help and guidance that an appealing and legal campaign pitch can be created to entice Ithaca College Athletes to participate in the campaign as spokes persons, models, research subjects and researchers. He knows the students needs and desires and can help create an appropriate appeal. The final approval for the inclusion of student athletes would come from the Student Athletic Advisory Committee which is made up of one representative from each team on campus.
Because of the proposed involvement of athletes in the campaign it is important to understand the restrictions placed on NCAA division III athletes as stated in the manual available at (http://www.ncaa.org/library/membership/division_iii_manual/2001-02/A12.pdf).
It will be important to create an ally in Dennis L. Thombs, Associate Professor in the Department of Adult, Counseling, Health, and Vocational Education at the State University, Kent Ohio. Professor Tombs created a survey instrument to examine the drinking patterns of Division I athletes. It is necessary to examine his data and instrument more closely for possible use at Ithaca College. In his article ‘A test of perceived norms model to explain drinking pattern among University student athletes’ Tombs states that student athletes are at a “greater risk for alcohol abuse than non-athletes” p.75 (2000). this study shows that student athletes surveyed self reported higher levels of alcohol consumption than the amount consumed by the non-athlete student. While these results appear to be contradictory to the results found at IC by the Core Survey the statistical numbers may actually match.
Whereas development of promotional materials is necessary, an alliance with Ithaca College Professors Marie Garland and Sandra Herndon is being established by Ms. Quirk. Both Professors have offered student assistance with the campaign.
Production of campaign materials requires financial support it will be necessary to gain the support of administration. Ms. Quirk has reported that the Ithaca College Health Promotion and Drug Abuse Prevention Office has been granted funds for a marketing campaign It is also advisable that grants be considered to increase funding to pay for various aspects of the campaign. Three possible grant opportunities appear on page __ of this document. An alliance with the Alumni affairs office for solicitation of support from Alumni should also be persued.
Local law enforcement should also be contacted for any support they can provide. Support in the form of education or door prizes such as one time use breathalyzer tests. An alliance with Local bars, taxi and bus services could provide reward incentives to campaign program participants. A coupon for a free coke, a prepaid cab ride to IC or a few bus tokens would make fine prizes for a radio contest.
An alliance with Cornell University, Cortland State College and Hobart William Smith College may provide necessary programming tips or information on similar social norms campaigns currently in use or in the planning stages.
· Targeted audiences
According to Alan R. Andreasen, individuals “who are undergoing status changes may be more willing to change behavior” (Andreasen 1995)p.187. People who have “just moved to a new community may be particularly good targets for behavior change programs” (Andreasen 1995). This could easily be applied to Freshmen. It’s application to athletes is more abstract. The athletes involved in the campaign as spokes persons or models would be experiencing status changes from mere junior status athlete to minor campus celebrity when his/her photo appears on a bulletin board in the hallway or on a calendar page in someone’s dorm room. I intend to use this status change to the benefit of the program as well as the student athletes.
The primary target audience will be the athletes who will be recruited for use as models and spokespersons for posters and other campaign materials. It is important that these students feel that their role is important and that they can make a difference. They will need to feel appreciated by the campaign implementation staff. It is imperative that they feel that their contribution is minimal and the benefits that they will receive are great. Mr. Lindberg suggested using student athletes during their off season so as not to overwhelm them. Their campaign involvement must be kept fun. The majority of the campaign will be targeted at Freshmen who are making their initial decisions about the actions and people they will associate with.
Thombs study also involved determining the coaches role in the drinking norms of their athletes. It would be necessary to have the full cooperation of all the coaches on the IC campus.
I have considered recruiting the Dance team, rated the 5th top team in the country in recent competition, using the slogan ‘Dance more Drink less’. The possibility of using the cumulative GPA of a the whole team on a poster may be appropriate as a connection between binge drinking and academic success has been reported. Perceive Reality! Could be used to measure the amount of calories in a bottel of beer and a comparison could be made with the number of hours of dancing necessary to burn off one beer. Using other teams, clubs and campus organizations such as the Student Government Association to facilitate identification by non-sports oriented people should be an integral part of the campaign. See page __ for examples of other slogans.
In the article “Binge drinking as a substitutes for a community of learning” which appeared in the Chronicle of higher education Feb 5, 1999 (p.B8) Kenneth A. Bruffee, said that he believes it is social desperation that drives students to binge drink. His study focused on creating learning communities. It is my intent to foster a learning community atmosphere among the athletes and other student researchers and participants in the campaign.
·
Media and the Message
Initially four-color posters will be designed with bold social norms messages on each. The cost quoted by Perter Kilcoyne, Manager of printing Services (274-1262) at IC was $265 for 100, 11”x17” posters with all art work done in house. Posters will be hung on bulletin boards in academic hall ways as well as in dorm
The poster messages will be consolidated into a 9 month calendar which will be handed out to freshman during orientation. 7000 (enough for every student on campus), 9 month calendars with black and white photos, printed on 10”x22” paper at the IC print shop will cost approximately $800 the most economical solution. Mr. Kilcoyne compared my request to the Block calendar used by the school of music, a two-color 8”x11” calendar costing $2300 to create 7000. Color photos such as that used on the donor calendar cost $150 for each image and $50 for each inset photo on top of other costs. Each month will feature a team or club with a slogan for the month or a social norms message relating to the Perceive Reality! Campaign message. Font type should be consistent through out the Perceive Reality! Campaign. I suggest using Tahoma type, which gives the y a straighter line and puts the exclamation point a little further away, hopefully catching the eye.
The calendar would contain information regarding events on campus that could initiate socialization among students such as tryouts for sports teams, club events, concerts, dances, dinners and holidays. Health promotion messages of all types, with the emphasis being on alcohol norms would also appear.
While advertising in the campus newspaper seems logical the readership of the Ithacan is an unknown according to Ellen Stapleton who will be the editor in chief during the 2002-03 school year. Advertising in the Ithacan should be done by submitting articles for publication. 1/8th page advertisement costs $65.00.
Radio appears to have the best bang for the buck. WICB FM has a wide broadcast range making a signal reaching all the way to Rochester. I spoke to Chris Wheatly Manager of Radio Operations who told me that studies have shown that ICB is listened to by the IC community as well as many other people in Tompkins and surrounding counties. A public service announcement is free to air but would require someone with knowledge of producation to complete. PSA’s could be performed by the sports spokespersons or anyone else who would be interested in reading a script. Short 20 second spots could be used to provide the same health information that the posters and calendars are providing. Radio contests could add interest to the Perceive Reality! Campaign.
The appeal of the posters will come from the models being IC students. Some may have sex appeal, as many of our IC students are quite attractive. I can imagine that the swim teams, cheerleaders and the football team could attract attention based on their physical beauty. This will also be an effective tool in that these are peers to the greater student body and as such have the ability to persuade.
· Evaluation
Focus groups should be made up of exclusive class groups: freshmen, juniors
etc.. Concern that freshmen may be influenced by upperclassmen’s comments and
may not give an accurate example of free thinking will be eliminated. It is
important that student involvement in campus activities be considered as
relevant and this information should be gathered at the end of the session. A
group of students who are all involved in campus activities may not have the
same attitude as those who are uninvolved. Groups should be no bigger than 12
students to ensure accurate reporting.
Initial Focus Group – Prior to Implementation
Focus group 1
Objective: to access the effectiveness of the poster.
1. Does this poster catch your eye?
Why, How?
2.What do you think of it’s appearance?
Does the poster appear cluttered or busy?
Should more information appear on the poster? Where, What?
How do the color choices affect your mood or attitude?
3. What is your opinion of it’s size?
If the poster were smaller, ½ or ¼ size what effect would this have on the message?
4. How could it be improved?
Colors, Graphics, etc.…
5. Consider the message: Perceive Reality!
This is the most important question and should be given adequate time allowance
What does it say to you?
How do you interpret the message?
What feelings does it elicit in you?
How do you think others will react and why?
6. In what way would you improve the message?
Explore possible negative feelings regarding the poster?
Explore possible positive feelings about the poster?
Post Implementation Focus Group – Early stages - 2 months after implementation
Focus group 2
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of campaign slogan and materials.
1. Can you recall seeing or hearing of an Ithaca College Campaign to reduce alcohol consumption?
2. Describe what you heard or saw.
Respondents should be able to describe Posters, Health Promotional Calendar, and Radio messages. If respondents have no idea what you are talking about show them samples of the materials. Ask them if they have seen the posters etc. and what message they were conveying.
If some part of the campaign was left out of the discussion, ask if the inclusion of that media would enhance or diminish the campaign. Ask for specifics about the design.
3. Consider the message: Perceive Reality!
Discuss the implied meanings of the words and how this phrase applies to the campaign message. Does it? Leave this open for discussion. If negative comments or aspects are being relayed investigate.
4. Would another slogan or message send a better message?
Brainstorm other possible ways to
disseminate an accurate norm to reduce perceived peer pressure.
5. How would you improve the campaign?
· Plan B: for outcomes of the adverse nature.
While it is not possible to always strike a home run it is also not always possible to predict the reaction of individuals to campaign materials or messages. If it is found that students in focus groups react negatively to materials consider redesigning following the suggestions of the groups. A repeat of the focus groups may be necessary but it is advisable that different students participate. It is also advisable that original materials be available for critique as well.
· Summative evaluation
A biannual implementation of the Core survey will measure the number of reported binges and the Perceived number of drinks being consumed as well as the number of binges occurring on campus. Focus groups will measure the success of the campaign regardless of other factors relating to changes in campus drinking culture.
Examples of Possible Campaign Slogans
· Primary Campaign Message
How many drinks do IC students drink at a party or bar?
Now Subtract 2
Perceive Reality!
Based on the results of the 1999 Core survey, the number of alcoholic drinks that IC students drink is probably less than you think.
While the above example appears vague because actual percentages are missing, The number of students binge drinking on campus is very large and when actual numbers are used they could actually act as peer pressure to drink more.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Photo of IC team or club with inset of spokes person.
Think
Don’t Drink
Perceive Reality!
A direct correlation has been seen between GPA and the amount of binge drinking a student does.
According to the NIAAA “600,000 students are assaulted by drunken classmates” each year
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
April - Calendar and poster
Photo of IC team or club with inset of spokesperson
Don’t be a fool
Think it through
Choose a designated driver
Perceive Reality!
# of automobile accidents occur annually. X% involve alcohol and x% of those are drivers between the ages of 17 and 21(?).
If you get a DWI expect a minimum of a 25% increase in your car insurance. You may loose your license. You may not be able to travel outside of the US.
April has been designated Alcohol awareness month, there may be other slogans available from other organization.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Act out your future
Remember your past
X# of students who binge drink reported having black outs or no memory of what they had done while drinking.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Photo of IC team or club with inset of spokesperson
Golf Team or other club with an unexpected relationship to sexy.
Be sexy
Be sober
X% of Ithaca College students reported that they believed that drinking alcohol made them sexier.
Reality 9 out of 10 rapes that occur on college campuses involved alcohol consumption.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Dance more Drink Less - Dance team
Poster has a photo of the IC Dance team
With an inset of spokesperson or other team member
Alternate phrase:
Dance a little more drink a little less
Dancing burns X# of calories, One alcoholic beverage contains # Calories. It takes # hours of dancing to burn # calories.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Small Poster for dorm bulletin boards
Choose a designated driver
Who’s driving tonight?
Pull off tabs with taxi phone number
And TCAT bus schedule times
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Photo of Men’s diving team / Women’s diving team or both together. With an inset of a diver / spokesperson. This poster can be developed with the same message
Take the plunge
be the designated driver
Perceive Reality! below the main message with statistics on how many drinks it takes to reach a BAC of
Dismiss an old wives tale – Eating peanut butter after drinking will not decrease your Blood Alcohol Content
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Does IC have a stargazers club?
See the stars
in your future - (Planetarium)
Perceive Reality!
One DWI stays on your driving record for # years and may affect your qualifications for that job you’ve always dreamed of such as …….
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
The core group of After Dark students involved in planning or other
Shine after dark - After Dark Program
Perceive Reality!
Students involved in the After Dark Program at IC report …….
The After Dark Program reports the usual number of students attending After Dark events to be about 150.
Planned After Dark activities can be printed on the calendar as they occur.
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports””An average of 4 people a day die of alcohol related causes on US campuses. “1445 a year”
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Grants
In the article ‘Colleges try to curb excessive drinking by saying moderation is Okay’ Ben Gose wrote that the US department of education awards grants to combat binge drinking to colleges willing to try the social norms approach as described in a booklet titled “ A social norms approach to preventing binge drinking at colleges and Universities based on the research performed by Michael P. Haines coordinator of health – enhancement services at Northern Illinois University.
Through the
STARR program the NCAA has funded division III schools marketing initiatives to
educate students about alcohol consumption. During the school year 2001 they
have provided $$$ in funding, computer software programs, and training for staff
and faculty.
References
Task force on alcohol and other drug abuse prevention Report to the President December 22 1999
Gomberg, Laura, Shari Kessel Schneider , and William DeJong. Evaluation of a social norms marketing campaign to reduce high-risk drinking at the University of Mississippi. American Journal of drug alcohol abuse v. 27, no. 2 p.375-389 2001.
Steinberg, Paul. Focus on binger, not all caqmpus drinkers. Washington post 4-21-02 p.1B
Bruffee, Kenneth A.. “Binge drinking as a substitutes for a community of learning” Chronicle of higher education Feb 5, 1999 p.B8
Andreasen, Alan R. (1995). Marketing social change: Changing behavior to promote health, social development, and the environment. Jossey-Bass Publishers San Francisco CA