Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau (GHSB) Social Norms Campaign

Project Description

This project essentially began with the sponsorship of a Social Norm Conference in April, 2000, to which individuals were invited from across the state as well as from all segments of the Berkshire County community, i.e., enforcement, health, business, community, and the judicial system. Drs. H. Wesley Perkins and Jeffrey Linkenback were keynote speakers, and workshops were presented that addressed social norms in all of its guises (e.g., workplace, schools, community).

In early 2001, The Massachusetts's GHSB began pilot testing a social norms campaign in Berkshire County. Normative messages are now being disseminated to ten (10) high schools and a college consortium consisting of: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Williams College, Simon's Rock College of Bard, Berkshire Community College, and Greenfield Community College. Subject to positive evaluation, this pilot project is intended to serve as the basis for a statewide social norms campaign.

Project Funding Source

Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau

Project Objective

To reduce the incidence of teen and young adult abuse of alcohol as well as the incidence of related negative consequences.

Baseline Data and Primary Normative Messages

Baseline data was gathered in 1998 and 2000 using the Core survey. Based on the data, two primary normative messages have been developed and disseminated using a basic template:

Each poster carries the message: "The Trend is Clear"
Each poster carries the message: "Berkshire County college students are saying they drink alcohol in moderation or not at all."

There are two different visuals:

  • One (the autumn poster) carries the message: "78% of college students in Berkshire County don't let alcohol interfere with going to classes … or doing well on tests!"
  • The second poster (winter) carries the message: "80% of college students in Berkshire County choose not to drink and drive."

In addition, the GHSB Evaluation Team worked with the local hospital network to gather emergency room data (for a four-year period) on visits or injuries that were related to alcohol and drugs within the target population in Berkshire County. This additional baseline data will be used for comparative evaluation when the campaign concludes.

Marketing Methods Employed

This project has done extensive marketing research. Each college developed its own surveys and conducted focus groups and other methods to evaluate the effectiveness of specific products or specific campaigns. Various student characteristics were also identified, such as: favorite colors (for use in media) and negative consequences that were deemed most important. Media channel research was also conducted to determine where students get most of their information (i.e., radio, bulletin board, campus or local newspaper).

The GHSB's message and image, using Berkshire County colleges' aggregate averages from the 2000 Core survey have appeared in various ways:

  • Posters (some of which are school-specific with regard to statistics and photos)
  • Newspaper ads
  • Billboards
  • Cinema Ads
  • Bus board ads
  • Computer banners
  • Sports Arena Banner
  • Sandwich Boards
  • Rulers (with normative messages)
  • Travel mugs
  • Bookbags (both plastic for bookstore use and cloth for incentive give-aways)
  • Student handouts with normative messages

Posters were also sent to all ten high schools in the county. In addition, training in social norm theory was provided to seven and social norm mini-grants were awarded to five of the high schools.

Evaluation

A final, quantitative evaluation of the campaign will be conducted using the results of the third Core survey administered in spring 2002. Qualitative and other quantitative evaluations will be conducted throughout the campaign.

Project Director

Phoebe T. Sugarman, Director
Safe Communities of the Berkshires
Email: [email protected]

Further Information

The Massachusetts's Governor's Highway Safety Bureau (GHSB) Social Norms Campaign

This is the site of the Massachusetts's Governor's Highway Safety Bureau (GHSB) Social Norms Campaign. Contents of the site include an excellent overview of the social norms approach, a complete description of the GHSB's social norms pilot project in Berkshire County.

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www.socialnorm.org