Texas Tech University Social Norms Marketing Campaign

Public University located in Lubbock, Texas
Enrollment: 23,595 Undergraduate students
Type/Category: Social Norms Marketing Campaign

Program: In the fall of 2002, the Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control (CTPC) implemented a social norms campaign designed to correct student misperceptions about tobacco use at Texas Tech University.

With the input of students in an upper level design communications course, the CTPC developed a social norms marketing campaign utilizing a humorous fictional character named “Walt” to provide accurate statistics about tobacco use to students. Over the course of the campaign, Walt has taken on multiple personas, including a weatherman and an action hero, spreading the message that “70% of Texas Tech students do not use tobacco.”

The campaign has relied upon a wide array of media venues to distribute its message, including television and radio commercials, advertisements on city buses and in the campus newspapers, posters, flyers, reinforcement activities, and promotional items (Walt t-shirts, cups, key chains, and stickers).

Results: While there has been some negative student reaction to the campaign, most students seem to be supportive. The Walt Campaign has been successful in conveying its tobacco prevention message to the Texas Tech campus and in reducing student smoking rates. A student survey found that 60% reported having seen the campaign and could repeat its message. The same survey indicated that tobacco use decreased from 30% in 2001 to less than 27% in 2003.

Contact Information:

Donna Bacchi, M.D., M.P.H
Director
Texas Tech University Health Science Center
3601 4th Street
Lubbock, Texas 79430
Donna.bacchi@ttuhsc.edu

Danielle SoRelle-Miner
Assistant Director
Texas Tech University Health Science Center
3601 4th Street
Lubbock, Texas 79430
806-743-4481 phone
Danielle.sorelleminer@ttuhsc.edu

To learn more about the Walt campaign please visit:
http://www.ttuhsc.edu/centers/ctpc/Campaign/

This case study brief was written in December 2004.

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