Using values-based
messaging to drive
parental behaviour
change
THE CHALLENGE
New data that emerged in 2022 from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation highlighted a concerning increase in underage alcohol consumption by high school students aged 15 to 16.
Secondary supply is the most common way that young people obtain alcohol, with 43% of underage people getting alcohol from their parents.
Generally secondary supply is well-intentioned, with parents believing that drinking in the home will teach their children how to be safe around alcohol, but in reality, alcohol can harm the teenage brain.
WHAT WE MADE
The campaign strategy centred around three guiding principles.
Firstly, we had to connect with parents on their level and frame the issue in a way that enables values priming of Benevolence and Self Direction values.
This was important because whilst most people have the capacity to see an issue from multiple perspectives, our context
and experiences have a significant impact on which values guide our attitudes and behaviours at any given moment.
The Foundation had invested in a significant body of research, with Common Cause, to identify specific values proven to motivate parents, so it was critical to remain tight to this objective. We focused on family love and curiosity within the campaign.
Secondly, we needed to avoid myth-busting, instead focussing on emotive, compelling storytelling. And finally, we needed to be solution-focused, articulating a positive vision, showing empathy in supporting parents to navigate this topic with their teens.
Central to the campaign approach is the metaphor of the night sky, symbolising the delicate state of the teenage brain during its formative years. By adopting a deeply empathetic tone, we sought to appeal to parents’ innate desire to nurture their children’s potential during this pivotal period of hormone and brain development.
Our message emphasises the importance of safeguarding their teens’ future prospects by addressing the risks associated with underage drinking – small sips in the home.
The campaign was rolled out across search and social and digital OOH, and complemented with a Stakeholder Toolkit.
WHY IT MATTERED
The campaign was proven to have a significant impact on parental knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and behavioural intent. It shifted target beliefs and decreased the perception that supplying alcohol to underage children is acceptable. Verian, an independent evaluation agency, carried out an evaluation study which detailed the following findings;
Knowledge
There was a positive impact on parents’ knowledge of most harms associated with underage drinking
Significantly more parents were aware that ‘disruption of brain development’ (79% vs. 92%), ‘risk of sexual assault’ (79% vs. 88%), and ‘risk of developing cancer’ (50% vs. 60%) were harms associated with underage alcohol use after seeing the campaign.
Beliefs
The proportion of parents that believed it is ok for a child under 18 to drink a small amount of alcohol if supervised by a parent, significantly declined from 51% to 33% (18% point reduction) after being shown the campaign.
Attitudes
Significantly more parents believed ‘parents should do their best to make sure their children never drink alcohol’ (52% vs. 69%) and ‘parents should create a culture where underage drinking is not accepted’ (69% vs. 80%) after seeing the campaign
The campaign also demonstrated impacts in terms of reducing attitudes that support underage drinking. For example, significantly fewer parents believed ‘it is ok for a 16- or 17-year-old to have 1-2 drinks at home if supervised by their parents’ (36% vs. 25%) after they saw the campaign.
Behavioural intent
The campaign also had a positive impact on parents’ reported likelihood of providing alcohol to their children in the future
Specifically, 28% of parents indicated that they would be likely/very likely to provide alcohol in the pre-survey, falling to 19% in the post-survey (9% point reduction)
Furthermore, of the 28% of parents who were likely/very likely to provide their child with alcohol in the future (in the pre-survey), 47% indicated they are reconsidering these attitudes after viewing the campaign.
WHO MADE IT
PR & Communications
Account service
Behaviour change experts
Content & creative teams