case study: smoking stops here
Challenger Brand Issue: What to do when you are outspent by $210 million annually
The State of Maryland ranked ninth nationally in terms of cancer related deaths and tenth in terms of tobacco sales — a dangerous correlation. In 2001 the Maryland legislature authorized $4 million a year to be spent on a statewide anti-tobacco campaign. Tobacco companies spend in excess of $214 million a year in Maryland to promote usage of their products. If we were going to have any impact on reducing tobacco consumption we would need to challenge the conventional thinking of tobacco control marketing.
Insights
A research study that we conducted clearly showed that Maryland citizens, including youth, were aware of the health risks associated with smoking. It also disclosed that they were aware of the dangers of exposure to second hand smoke, but felt that there was little they could do about it.
Challenger Brand Behavior: Sacrifice
Our strategy was to break from the conventional tobacco control marketing wisdom of using a "health risk education" message as the centerpiece of Maryland's campaign. Because our research showed that Marylander's were aware of the health risks of tobacco, we sacrificed the educational component and developed a grassroots campaign focused on changing behavior by changing the social norms surrounding tobacco use.
Our "Maryland-Smoking Stops Here" statewide campaign is a movement designed to change the social norms that tolerate tobacco use to one that overwhelming adopts and encourages a smoke- free lifestyle. The core message was about empowering Marylanders to take care of their own. To stand up and say "No smoking in my car, not in my house and definitely not in front of my children".
Results
We're winning. A recent report released by the state indicates that there has been a significant decrease in smoking since the "Maryland-Smoking Stops Here" campaign began in 2002. Smoking among middle school students has declined 30.6%, 23.5% among high school students and a 12% drop among all adults.