Four Step Process: An Exercise in Reaching Diverse Audiences

Description

PR professionals often use the success of others to develop their plan. In this assignment, we will use a successful campaign to help you better understand the four-step problem-solving process. For this assignment, you will need to first read about the case in the articles listed below. Then, go to Part II to read the full report about the historic case. Finally, you will answer the question in Part III to assist you in outlining the four-step problem-solving process used in the successful Milwaukee campaign.

Video: https://youtu.be/pE7j4JD7a8E

Part I: Read the Case Description

In 2006, Milwaukee’s baseline year, there were 52 babies for every 1,000 teenage girls, according to the data provided by the city. The city had one of the nation’s highest teen birth rates. Nine years later, in 2015, the city’s teen birth rate has declined 65 percent since 2006, compared to a 54 percent decline across the United States. What happened? How did they seemingly solve a problem no other city has managed to successfully address? The answer involves a hard-hitting awareness campaign developed by Serve Marketing and funded by the United Way of Greater Milwaukee.

Here are the articles you need to read:

• Stephenson, Crocker. (October 27, 2016). “City’s Teen Birthrate At Historic Low.” Retrieved from https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2016/10/27/citys-teen-birthrate-historic-low/92850694/
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Links to an external site.

• Ferris, Sarah. (December 2012). “Ambitious Anti-Teen Pregnancy Program Seeing Success in Milwaukee.” Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/topics/education/gov-anti-teen-pregnancy-program-seeing-success.html
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
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Mason, Calvert Kyla. (October 28, 2016.) “Milwaukees Teen Birth Rate Drops To Historic Low.” Retrieved from https://www.wpr.org/milwaukees-teen-birth-rate-drops-historic-low

PART II

Carefully read the “Truth Be Told” (IfTruthBeTold_FINAL_LowRes.pdf
) report about the historic campaign with the goal of uncovering the strategic planning steps that lead to the success. How did Milwaukee achieve such great success? What research did Milwaukee conduct? What goals and objectives did organizers set? What messages did organizers construct? How did organizers execute the campaign? How was success measured? All of these questions are answered in this 52-page report.

After reading the articles in Part I and the full report, use the “ethnic communication” planning questions in Part III to help you uncover Milwaukee’s 4-step planning process. By answering each of the questions, and referring back to the report, you will understand how Milwaukee was able to effectively reach a multicultural population. (NOTE: Examples from a cervical cancer prevention campaign using a Native American population is included throughout the planning questions where indicated to assist you.)

PART III

Ethnic Communication Planning Questions

What kind of research (primary and secondary) was conducted for this campaign, and what was learned from the research and information gathered?

Once the organizers completed their research, they likely assessed the situation. Identify what they uncovered as their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

There were multiple audiences targeted in this campaign. What group(s) did Milwaukee target with the message? Be specific by outlining an age group, race, ethnicity, sex, geographic area, and socioeconomic status. (For example, you could say “Native American females between the ages of 21 and 45 who are unmarried with at least one child living on all-Apache reservations in North and South Dakota.”)

What problems did the campaign organizers address in this campaign? Why or how was the audience(s) impacted by the problem? (For example, you might find that cervical cancer mortality rates among the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations in North and South Dakota were five times the national average, and that prevention will save lives and preserve tribal communities.)

Let’s talk about the Latino audience. What did the organizers know (or learn) about the group’s values and beliefs, especially those that had an impact on the campaign? Now answer the same question about the African-American audience. Think family, superstitions, oral history, protectiveness, and so on.

What were some of the organizations, leaders, activities, habits, cultural celebrations, and interests of the target audience that the organizers piggybacked on, partnered with, or incorporated to make the campaign culturally relevant?

What were some of the anticipated challenges, objections, or obstacles in targeting the Latino audience with this particular message? What about the African-American audience? Think trust issues, superstitions, tribal leaders, and so on.

Write out the exact message that Milwaukee wanted each of its audiences to walk away with. If you saw separate slogans, list and discuss those as well. ( For example, the message may have been that regular screening with a Pap smear effectively lowers the risk for developing invasive cervical cancer by detecting precancerous changes in cervical cells. Furthermore, women who do not receive regular Pap smears have a higher risk for the cancer. The campaign slogan for this message might have been “Health cannot be left unsaid.”)

What strategies and persuasive approaches did the organizers employ to reach their primary target audience with their message? This report may not directly talk about them, but based on course lectures, identify what you can. Think oral tradition, opinion leaders, tribal leaders, reciprocity, cognitive approaches, framing, and sanctions.

Write out two goals that the campaign set out to achieve. Make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused, and time-bound. For each goal, use the structure “To, by [date], [increase or decrease] [a measurement] by X%,” filling in the missing details. Use “X%” when you don’t know the exact number. (For example, a goal could be “To, by December 14, 2019, increase from 35% to 65% the number of women who complete annual health screenings.”)

Write out two objectives that the campaign set out to achieve. Make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused, and time-bound. For each objective, use the structure “To, by [date], [increase or decrease] [a measurement] by X%,” filling in the missing details. Use “X%” when you don’t know the exact number. (For example, an objective could be “To, by August 14, 2019, increase from 20% to 65% the number of women who know that, within the last 20 years, ‘cancer death rates fell more quickly among White people than among AI/AN people. From 2001 to 2009, death rates for all cancers combined went down for White men and women, but went up for AI/AN men and women.'” )

List four specific culturally relevant tactics used to reach the primary Latino audience and the primary African-American audience for the campaign. Why do you think they were successful? List two tactics used to reach secondary audiences. (For the Pap smear example, tactics could include a talking circle with medical professionals, meetings with Native women with cervical cancer, meetings with tribal leaders, and Native-made jewelry representing cervical cancer given to each woman.)

What media outlets did the campaign use to get the message to their audiences (magazines, TV, radio, newspaper)?

How did they the organizers know they had achieved success? What criteria were used? Discuss how they evaluated the campaign (attendance, levels before and after, rates, etc.).

(Additional reference: This document spells out the 4-steps in 8 steps. It may be helpful to some of you and help further explain the planning process: 8-Step-Process-1.pdf
)

(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.(Additional reference: This document spells out the 4-steps in 8 steps. It may be helpful to some of you and help further explain the planning process: 8-Step-Process-1.pdf