Talking to Adults about Underage Drinking
Using the Retail Environment for a Social Marketing Campaign
William DeJong, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
Youth Alcohol Prevention Center
Responsible Retailing ForumSocial Sources
April 18, 2006
Social Norms
• People hold beliefs about the behavior that is expected of them in particular social contexts (injunctive norms)
• These beliefs are partly based on information about others’ behavior (descriptive norms)
• Perceptions of social norms are often a good predictor of actual behavior
Misperception of Student Drinking Norms
Students have exaggerated views of how much other students drink
Students have exaggerated views of how much other students drink
Students perceive greaternormative expectations to drink
Students perceive greaternormative expectations to drink
Use Campus-Based Media to Correct the Misperception
Decrease in perceived normative expectations to drink
Decrease in perceived normative expectations to drink
Decrease in alcohol consumptionDecrease in alcohol consumption
Social Norms Marketing (SNM) Campaign
Social NormsMarketingCampaign
Posters
Newspaper AdsEmails
Group TrainingsContests
Social NormsMarketingCampaign
Posters
Newspaper AdsEmails
Group TrainingsContests
Awareness of Message
Acceptance of Message
More Accurate
Perception of Peer Drinking
Awareness of Message
Acceptance of Message
More Accurate
Perception of Peer Drinking
Reduction in Perceived
Normative Expectations to Drink
Reduction in Perceived
Normative Expectations to Drink
Increase in Behavioral Intentions to Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Increase in Behavioral Intentions to Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Reduction in Alcohol Consumption
Reduction in Alcohol Consumption
Reduction in Alcohol-
Related Problems
DUIUnsafe Sex
AssaultsDate Rape
Property DamageAcademic Problems
Injuries
Reduction in Alcohol-
Related Problems
DUIUnsafe Sex
AssaultsDate Rape
Property DamageAcademic Problems
Injuries
Social Norms MarketingResearch Project
18 US colleges and universitiesRandomized assignment
Treatment (with SNM campaign)Control (no intervention)
Year 2
(2000-01)
Study Timeline: Cohort A
All Schools
Experimental Schools (9)
Control Schools (9)
Survey of College Alcohol Norms and Behavior
Contextual data collection
Just the Facts Implementation
Just the Facts Implementation
Year 1
(1999-00)
Year 3
(2001-02)
Year 4
(2002-03)
Year 5+
(2003-04)
Findings
Having a SNM campaign was significantly associated with lower drinking levels:
Composite drinking scaleRecent maximum consumptionBAC for that episodeDrinks when partyingDrinks per week
Greatest number of drinks on one occasion in past two weeks
3.57(4.57)
3.95(4.86)
3.44(4.39)
4.30(5.17)
BAC for greatest number of drinks on one occasion in past two weeks
.0830 (.0979)
.0859 (.1023)
.0804 (.0911)
.0945 (.1072)
Drinks when students party
3.30 (3.34)
3.57 (3.48)
3.20 (3.26)
3.85 (3.70)
Drinks per week 4.67 (7.92)
4.62 (8.00)
4.61 (7.93)
5.24 (8.43)
Outcome Variable
Treatment Group Control Group
2000 n=1,515M (SD)
2003n=1,536M (SD)
2000n=1,406M (SD)
2003n=1,365M (SD)
Parenting Norms
Do parents misperceive the social
norms in their community?
* * *
If so, could a social norms marketing campaign increase health-protective
parenting practices?
Parent SurveyMontana Social Norms Project
Mailed survey to a randomly selected sample of Montana households with at least one child age 12-17
Confidential responsesResults reported for 787 surveys (response
rate = 27%)
Perception of Norms
• Always know when their teenage children do not come home on time– Self: 86%– Typical Montana Parent: 6%
• Always know where their teenage children are and whom they are with– Self: 57%– Typical Montana Parent: 1%
Perception of Norms
• Extremely concerned if their teenage children skipped school 1-2 times during semester– Self: 60%– Typical Montana Parent: 15%
• During the past 30 days, talked with their teenage children about family alcohol rules– Self: 57%– Typical Montana Parent: 38%
The Retail EnvironmentA Venue for Social Norms Messages
Do parents and other adults misperceive social norms regarding:• not purchasing alcohol for minors?
• not furnishing alcohol to minors at home?
If so, could an effective social norms marketing campaign directed to the general public be mounted through retail outlets?
America’s Parents Support the Legal Drinking Age
We Support America’s Parents
Have you told your teenage children that
you support the age 21 drinking law?
Most Parents Do…and It Works!
America’s Parents Support the Legal Drinking Age
We Support America’s Parents
Do you hold your teenage children
to a strict curfew?
Most Parents Do…and It Works!
Do you have your teenage children check in to tell you where they are?
Do you spend a lot of family time with your teenage children?
Do you have strict family rules to prohibit your teenage children from drinking?
Elementary vs. Middle School• Elementary School
– Small, neighborhood school– Active PTA involvement– Play dates
• Middle School– Larger, impersonal school– Less parental involvement at school– Children’s growing independence– Unclear social norms
Parents Drop Out
of the Picture
Create Community-Based Parent Networks
• Parents of middle school and high school students sign a pledge:– Not to serve alcohol to minors– To communicate with one another when a
party is being held
• Use local media to reinforce the pledge
Media Channels
• School messages brought home
• Email messages
• Earned Media– Press events– Editorial support– Letters to the editor
• Parent network website
Retail Environment
• Local advertising• Window signs• In-store displays• Point-of-sale reminders• Other media channels:
– Stickers on products (after sale)– Bags– Receipts
Conclusions
• Social norms campaigns hold promise for reinforcing or even increasing the positive choices being made by the majority
• Further research on the value (and limits) of this approach is warranted