Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Social Norms Marketing?
Social norms marketing is the process of applying marketing concepts to social and health issues by promoting positive norms practiced by the majority of a group.

Does it work?
Health promotion research conducted over the past decade with youth and college students reveals that this is one method of delivering media-based prevention messages that is scientifically defensible. Although many other approaches have been popular such as the use of scare tactics, awareness weeks, and providing factual/educational information - these approaches have been ineffective for reducing risky behaviors associated with substance abuse. Social Norms Marketing, if done right, WORKS!

Why does it work?
It works because people misperceive the prevalence of risk behaviors associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use around them. For example, youth think that there is much more acceptance and use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs by their peers than is actually the case. If they misperceive the norms in the environment to be much more excessive than they really are, they have a tendency to drink, drug or use tobacco to fit in with these "imaginary peers." When the true norms are perceived and kids realize that by not using tobacco or other drugs they are actually fitting in with the majority of their peers, they are given permission to belong by abstaining and being who they are.

How does it work?
The process works by collecting data on the actual versus perceived behavioral norms. If there is an over-exaggeration of the true norms, then media materials and messages are developed to communicate the true norms that exist. By continuing to broadcast the true norms, the myth that everybody is doing it is slowly eroded away until the group realizes that "MOST of Us™" are healthy and drug free! When this positive message is sustained for a year or two, the negative health behaviors of the group begin to shift downward to reflect the healthier majority behavior.

How is success measured?
Behavioral and perception surveys are used to gauge where the target population is at in relation to actual participation in various alcohol, tobacco and other drug health risk behaviors and the perceptions which surround these. Surveys are performed at the onset of the campaign to assist with developing messages and establishing baseline data. Follow-up surveys are performed to measure progress towards a reduction in the misperceived norms and a resulting decline in self-reported risk behavior.

Why do people misperceive norms?
People misperceive the accurate norms related to substance abuse for a lot of reasons. Some of these include the media, scare campaigns, conversation distortions that say everyone is doing it and selective memory of people using substances.

What are the consequences of misperceiving norms?
A main consequence of not seeing the true picture of what is going on is that it may influence

behavior in a negative fashion. If people think that everyone else is engaging a specific health risk behavior, and that it is accepted more than it actually is, then there is a greater likelihood of participating in this "false" behavior.  By contrast, in those groups that accurately see lower substance abuse norms - we also see a lower prevalence of substance abuse behaviors.

What if the target population doesn't believe the campaign?
It is expected, that the first years of any campaign will be met with resistance to giving up faulty perceptions of substance use norms. This resistance is expected since most people inaccurately view the substance use behaviors of their peers. However, with persistent marketing of the true majority norms of non-use, views and public conversation begins to change. Introducing any new "product" takes time to become accepted.

What are the expected outcomes?
Based on research, you should expect to measure a decrease in substance abuse within two years. At the end of an initial 4-month campaign period, you should see an increase in awareness of the campaign message. You should also expect to measure early indications of changes in perceptions that are more accurate.

Does focusing on the positive just minimize the problem?
No. It is important to communicate the seriousness of substance abuse problems in conjunction with the fact that the majority of people do not use drugs. Honest communication is crucial. Over-exaggerating the norms of substance abuse may serve to stir up concern but it does nothing to help reduce use. Reducing substance use comes from de-normalizing the role of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in society.

Don't people just need more education and awareness?
Education about the harmful effects of drugs must continue to exist. However, data from the past few decades proves that education alone cannot change the behaviors (norms) of large numbers of people. People adapt to what they see as the acceptable behaviors around them. For example, if most teens think that most people are drug-free; then most will join this powerful majority. 

I don't believe the majority of youth are abstaining from alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, how do you determine actual use?
When it comes to tobacco and illicit drug use, the majority of teens report non-use and non-experimentation with these substances. However, alcohol use does present a different case in that a small majority of teens report either regular or irregular use, or experimentation with alcohol. What is pertinent to social norms marketing is that the perceptions surrounding regular, irregular and experimental use of alcohol by teens is distorted among teens themselves, parents and other adults.

It should not be surprising that if misperceptions exist among young adults in regards to their peer's use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs that these same misperceptions might exist with parents, teachers, and staff, among others. A study entitled "Through the Looking Glass," (Lombardi, J. 1997) supported by the Rocky Mountain Development Council and funded through the Steele Reese Foundation, found that indeed, adult misperceptions of youth risk behaviors existed. In some cases, adults overestimated youth participation in risky behaviors by as much as 3 times!

[Adapted from the Montana MOST of Us campaign website toolbox (www.mostofus.org) & The National Social Norms Resource Center (www.socialnorm.org)]