Developing Effective Campaign Messages to Prevent Neural Tube Defects: A Qualitative Assessment of Women's Reactions to Advertising Concepts

Abstract

The incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs), serious birth defects of the brain and spine that affect approximately 3,000 pregnancies in the United States each year, can be reduced by 50–70% with daily periconceptional consumption of the B vitamin folic acid. Two studies were designed to assess college women's reactions to and perceptions of potential campaign advertising concepts derived from preproduction formative research to increase folic acid consumption through the use of a daily multivitamin. Study one assessed draft advertising concepts in eight focus groups (N = 71) composed of college-enrolled women in four cities geographically dispersed across the United States. Based on study one results, the concepts were revised and reassessed in study two with a different sample (eight focus groups; N = 73) of college women in the same four cities. Results indicated that participants generally responded favorably to concepts in each of the two studies, and provided insight into individual concepts to increase their overall appeal and effectiveness. The specific findings and implications of these results are discussed.

The authors thank the moderators who assisted with data collection, and AED and Planit, who were involved in creating and revising the advertising concepts tested herein. This project was made possible through a partnership with the CDC Foundation, MOA#12494-0100-05. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Notes

Note. Rankings ranged from 1 (most likely to motivate me) to 4 (least likely to motivate me).

Note. Rankings ranged from 1 (like the tagline best) to 9 (like the tagline least).

¹Although some overt claims were included in the initial concepts (e.g., “healthier skin, hair, and nails”), all concepts were revised for study two to omit such claims. No scientific evidence exists that vitamins will result in such outcomes. Furthermore, promising such benefits when no evidence suggests that multivitamins can deliver on those promises might result in initial behavior change; however, women might stop taking multivitamins soon thereafter when they do not see such results.