Volume IV, Number 3 & 4, 1998

Issue Topic: Learning Organizations

Promising Practices

Making the Case for Children

William Novelli, President of the National Center for Tabacco-Free Kids, writes about implementing an information campaign to inform citizens and policymakers about children's health.

Too often, the political rhetoric surrounding efforts to improve children’s health and welfare does not accurately reflect the actions taken to carry out these goals. Local and state governments are often limited by inadequate federal policies or budgets in what they can do to help families. That is why grassroots activists are so important if we are substantially to improve the results for children and families. Doing so, however, will require that advocates learn how to “make the case for children” more effectively; they must motivate activists to help stimulate coverage of children’s issues in the mass media (thereby raising the profile of these issues and increasing pressure for social change), and raise the stakes for elected representatives and government officials.

So, how can we do a better job of making this case? First, we must recognize that change must be broad in order to be deep. That is, we must strive simultaneously for environmental change (through public policy and agenda setting); for change at the community level (by affecting norms, expectations, and public support); and for changes in individual behavior (through skill teaching, positive reinforcement, and rewards). Accomplishing broad-based change requires communication at both the mass media and interpersonal levels in order to extend the reach and frequency—or pervasiveness—of key messages. It also necessitates galvanizing many change agents to create the critical mass needed to bring about substantive movement.

Prochaska and DiClemente’s model of individual behavior change provides clues about how to spur individuals toward greater involvement. The model includes four stages:

• Pre-contemplation. In this first stage, which includes most people, individuals don’t see the relevance of getting involved. They are either unaware of an issue (for example, new legislation on children’s health insurance), or do not see how it applies to them (they may be childless, or assume that children have access to health care if the parents truly want it).

• Contemplation. During this phase, individuals will consider greater involvement in an issue, such as seeking more information.

• Action. In order to move from contemplation to concrete action, people must see the benefits of the activity to themselves and/or to society. It is important that the “costs” of involvement be kept to a minimum, as even the slightest barriers may act as deter rents. Increased social pressure can also help to move individuals from contemplation to action.

• Maintenance. Once people do get involved in an issue, it is important to remind them that they are helping to make progress, and to recognize their efforts. This stage of social advocacy is too often neglected, and activists can be lost through this lapse of attention. Progress reports, report cards, rewards, and reminders for activists are critical for helping to maintain their involvement.

Children’s advocates need to determine exactly what they want the public to do to help solve a particular problem, then look for ways to move individuals along this type of continuum. With research, analysis, and strategic thinking, the framework can be filled in.

Our Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids did this when building our National Action Network (NAN), a growing database of some 14,000 individuals from around the country who have expressed willingness to be involved in the issue of reducing the tobacco industry’s powerful hold on children. We keep NAN members engaged by providing useful information on key Congressional votes, tobacco money in politics, initiatives to protect kids, and activities and contacts in their local areas. NAN members are asked to write to their elected representatives, write letters to the editor, speak out at local meetings, and take other action, as appropriate.

Before creating this network, we conducted substantial research to find out more about people who are, or are likely to become, consumer activists: specifically, what motivates them to get involved, whether they care about the issue of children and tobacco, and how we might encourage them to take on a more active role. We knew from polling data that there was interest in protecting children from tobacco, but we had to turn public opinion into citizen action.

We began by analyzing a large marketing database (Simmons) that reports on all manner of product usage, media habits, and other consumer behaviors. This database also profiled what it defined as consumer activists, and estimated this group to be approximately 20 percent of the adult U.S. population. Consumer activists were defined as adults who had, in the past year, contacted a radio or TV station, magazine or newspaper editor, or elected official; met personally with an elected official; actively participated in a local civic issue and/or volunteered for an environmental or conservation group; or addressed a public meeting.

We then conducted a phone survey to confirm the profile and assess levels of concern about our own issue and the likelihood of people getting involved in it. Finally, using a qualitative research technique, one-on-one interviews with individuals who fit the consumer activist profile, we probed to find what information and ideas were most appealing, and gained comprehension and reaction to a number of message concepts. We found that activists are most likely to get involved when an issue affects them personally; when they perceive a blatant wrong, untruth, or injustice; or when they observe a threatening situation. Our research also showed that activists prefer to work within an existing organization or effort, rather than initiating action themselves. Many are driven to action by personal appeals from people they know.

In testing message concepts with consumer activists to see how they would respond, we found that we had to be careful when presenting messages that Congress was beholden to the tobacco industry and might act in the industry’s favor. This is because activists are most motivated to act when they think their actions will make a difference, and a feeling of hopelessness (Congress is in the industry’s pocket) worked against this motivation. We also found that activists did not respond positively to general messages about the health of children or saving lives, but preferred messages with a specific call to action. Interestingly, in testing messages that assailed specific individuals from the tobacco industry (e.g., a woman who is the senior vice president for external affairs for Philip Morris), we found that respondents were not comfortable with such personal attacks, despite their contempt for the industry as a whole.

Overall, our research taught us the following:

• Localize the issue to motivate activists, who respond to issues that directly affect their families and communities.

• Focus on kids in order to engage activists (smoking among adults is not as emotionally engaging).

• Engage activists emotionally by making them perceive a threat, or by generating anger and/or moral outrage.

• Portray the fight as winnable; let them know that others are involved and are succeeding.

• Time messages and calls to specific actions at intervals when these actions will have the greatest impact.

• Provide factual information, especially on the scope of the problem and threats from Congress.

• Encourage activists to personally approach others, since other potential activists react favorably to this.

Clearly, it is important to know your audience. In the case of children’s health, key audiences includes policymakers,“influentials” (who vary depending upon the subject area), activists, and the general public. In the case of youth smoking, youth advocacy is an important strategy for us, and young activists play a particularly critical role in capturing the attention of policymakers and the public. Children of ten make the strongest advocates for issues that directly affect them, because they have firsthand experience with the problems they face (and are therefore credible spokespeople), and because they elicit an emotional response from those in a position to effect change.

At the same time, it is critical not to overplay the “child card” when advocating for children. These images are in danger of being overworked, so all messages pertaining to children must be believable and real in order to maintain their effectiveness.

One helpful tool is to put a face on the problem by focusing on a “villain.” In the case of youth smoking, highlighting the tobacco industry’s unethical behavior in targeting children in its marketing campaigns has been extremely effective. Not only does it draw an emotional response from the public and policymakers, but the media are oriented toward stories with built-in controversy, and this one has a clear villain that guarantees heated debate.

These tools and lessons can be adapted to any children’s issue. It is important is to keep in mind that many agents of change are needed to achieve significant results and improve the lives of children. Do not rely on mass media alone. Do your research, identify your target audiences, and engage the activists who are most likely to help you achieve your goals.

William D. Novelli
President
National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids