ONDCP's 2007 Anti-Meth Campaign
An Overview

Mission

Through various advertising and communication vehicles, the purpose of The Anti-Meth Campaign, is to prevent meth use, dispel the myth that meth treatment does not work and get people who need help for meth use into treatment.

History

While the core of the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is to prevent overall teen drug use, Congress has directed that a portion the Media Campaign’s resources target methamphetamine use. ONDCP is implementing this initiative as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible by engaging the leading civic, volunteer, education, and public heath organizations who have experience successfully addressing meth use.

In the Spring of 2007, ONDCP’s Media Campaign sought donations of fully-produced advertising executions from organizations that had already developed methamphetamine prevention or treatment campaigns on either a national or local level. Organizations donated their PSAs/advertisements for the campaign and those that passed rigorous screening process to ensure effectiveness with the target audience are being used as part of the paid media initiative in select State markets, supplemented by non-advertising (or “earned media”) efforts.

Focus of the Message

ONDCP is utilizing a balanced messaging strategy by using both prevention- and treatment-focused advertising executions. To coincide with September’s National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month, heavier weights of treatment-focused ads will run during the initial phases of the paid campaign and gradually shift to a prevention focus towards the end of the campaign.

Advertising creative will be available for viewing via an ad gallery on www.methresources.gov by the launch date of the campaign, September 4th. Advertising materials available for use by local organizations as Public Service Announcements (PSAs) will be annotated as such on the Web site.

Anti-Meth Campaign (Advertising portion)

The advertising portion of ONDCP’s Anti-Meth Campaign will run in the following eight states: Alaska, Washington, California, Oregon, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. With input from the State of California Alcohol and Drug Program Office, media buys in California will be limited to three metropolitan markets: Redding, Bakersfield and Santa Barbara. In Illinois, the Anti-Meth Campaign will be limited to the area of the State north of I-80 so as not to interfere with an anti-meth initiative occurring in the southern portion of the State. All other states selected for the paid advertising effort ( Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Indiana, and Kentucky) will have statewide media buys. Limited print advertising will run in Alabama, Minnesota, Utah, and Wyoming to coincide with non-advertising (“earned” media) activities.

The advertising portion of the Campaign will consist of a mix of advertising vehicles: TV, radio, print, and interactive (Web banner ads and search engine keyword buys). All advertising materials were subjected to a rigorous screening process which, for the television ads, included in-field testing among more than 1,500 members of the primary target audience, young adults ages 18-34.

The paid advertising for the eight states will begin the week of September 4th and run for approximately six months (26 weeks).

Anti-Meth Campaign (Non-advertising portion)

The non-advertising portion of the Anti-Meth Campaign includes a photography exhibit titled “Life After Meth,” featuring portraits of recovering meth users, law enforcement officials and substance abuse professionals. Moving testimonials accompany the portraits, giving insight into the impact meth has had on individuals, families and communities, and offering a message of hope for those still struggling with the drug. Additional earned media events are scheduled in the Fall of 2007 in the hometowns of the “Life After Meth” exhibit subjects – Minneapolis, MN; Seattle, WA; Anchorage, AK; Cheyenne, WY; Birmingham, AL; and Salt Lake City, UT.

Donating Organizations – A Special Thanks

To launch the Campaign in a cost-effective and timely manner, ONDCP examined existing meth campaigns and solicited advertising materials from organizations with successful experience developing and implementing anti-meth campaigns on a local or national level. Several organizations, including the Partnership for Drug Free America, The Meth Project (“Montana Meth”) and the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, have donated their creative materials in support of ONDCP’s Anti-Meth Campaign. To supplement the donated TV and print creative materials, ONDCP has created some additional print, Web banner and radio ads.

Available Materials

Community organizations and other groups involved in meth prevention can download web banners and print and radio advertisements from www.methresources.gov for use as PSAs in their local market. The print materials include three localizable “Open Letter” print ads that highlight the effectiveness of meth treatment and community involvement, while dispelling myths about the drug and who is using it. ONDCP has partnered with key law enforcement, treatment and prevention organizations to co-sign the letters. Additional information regarding the use of the web banner and radio ads is available at the Web site.

Call-to-Action

All creative materials, whether donated or generated by ONDCP, will direct viewers/listeners to the National Treatment Referral Number 800-662-HELP and www.methresources.gov for more information.

Methresources.gov will also reference the 800-662-HELP number and the SAMSHA Treatment facility locator at http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.