Montana Meth Project - Advertising That Works
Brand: Montana Meth Project
Execution: TV, Print, Radio, Documentary
Target: Montana teens, young adults and parents
Rating: *****
Reviewer: David Vinjamuri
Description:
This public service advertising campaign launched in September 2005 to combat the epidemic-level problem of methamphetamine use and the resulting crime and health costs that had hit the state of Montana over the previous decade. The objective of the campaign was to show the real consequences of meth use and start conversations between adults and teens about the realities and dangers of crystal meth. Because of the highly addictive nature of the drug the tagline for the campaign was “not even once.” The first wave of the Montana Meth Project campaign focused on individual consequences with the second, more recent wave of spots looking at the familial and peer issues.
What Works:
This dramatic campaign was grounded in research and started with a pre-campaign benchmark study in 2005 which allowed the campaign to precisely measure results in terms of changing attitudes as well as routinely collected statistics like arrests and hospital admissions. By advertising standards, the Montana Meth Project campaign has been shockingly effective. Indeed, even outside the core target group (teens) the message seems to have taken hold. For example, there was a 12% reduction nationwide in the number of meth-positive drug tests in the workplace betwen 2005 and 2006. In Montana, however, the reduction was a startling 69%. Both meth related drug offenses and overall meth-related crimes decreased by over 50% in the state in just one year. Meth use among teens in Montana was down 38% from the year prior to the campaign’s inception.
Equally importantly, the Montana Meth Project campaign appears to have changed the perception of meth usage among teens. 80% of Montana teens believe that meth use will not be respected by their peers - up from 70% a year earlier (which effectively cuts the drug-accepting population by a third). Moreover, the percentage of teens disagreeing with the statement ‘Using meth makes you more popular’ surged from 67% in 2005 to 87% in 2007.
What can we learn from the Montana Meth Project? After all, most advertising does not cover issues as dramatic as meth addiction. Could selling soap ever make for this kind of riveting advertising? This advertising blog believes there are several valuable lessons from this campaign.
- Does not talk down - this campaign is stark and realistic. It does not assume its viewers are idiots as many private sector campaigns do.
- Brilliant Visual Images - this campaign is disturbing because it is beautifully and compellingly shot. The campaign is artwork and would be compelling viewing regardless of the message it delivers.
- Variety of Executions - Some brilliant campaigns fail because they wear out before their full effect can be reached. By maximizing the number of executions in this campaign, the Montana Meth Project significantly reduces viewer burnout.
- Focus on Storytelling - These spots command the attention in a way that many anti-drug spots do not because they all tell stories with careful attention to characters and interpersonal dynamics. We would watch them even if they were not anti-drug spots.
What Doesn’t:
This is as near to an ideal advertising campaign as we’ve seen. The challenge for the Montana Meth Project will be to sustain the effort until the meth crisis is completely gone and to look far enough over the horizon to anticipate the next major threat to public health.
Branding Bottom Line:
The Montana Meth Project ads scare the crap out of us, and we only drink decaf.
April 27th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
The only potential problem I see with this campaign is it may be viewed as greatly exagerating the consiquences of meth, and the tag line, “not even once,” may encourge some viewer to challenge that statement. Remember “reafer Madness?”
April 30th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
I sincerely got chills when I saw this. They need to stick to this strategy because it’s a reality of the problem.
I agree that the drastic “not even once” statement has a touch of reefer madness (there are some marijuana ads currently that are prime targets for jokes from teenagers, etc), but how do you have a campaign that says “do not take this drug more than 5 times”?
Hats off to the Montant Meth Project in taking this stance.
May 7th, 2007 at 3:18 am
I think it is a little too overboard. No drug user thinks they are going to end up like this when they begin.
http://www.jimmyco.com
May 15th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
A PBS documentary explains that the key to eradicating meth is to remove access to large amounts of cold medications containing psuedoephedrine (the “nondrowsy relief” ingredient). Meth itself is difficult to synthesize but easy to shift from this ingredient; the drug labs are basically boiling down barrels of cold pills to make their poison.
But manufacturers are reluctant to abandon psuedoepehedrine, it really is an effective non-drowsy relief for stuffy cold symptoms. They dragged their heels for over a decade about eliminating or parceling cold medication sales to control the problem. There is even a national brand currently advertising they still use psuedoepehedrine, bragging to cold sufferers but of course to drug addicts too.
Montana’s program tackles it from the other end and may deliver greater long-term results than controlling the source. The world can change: tomorrow there may be a direct synthesis path that works in a closet for pennies a gram. Only public education of this sort could protect our kids then.
As for “not even once” it’s the right message. Addictive personalities fall in love with their “Cherry High”; that first taste of the narcotic is the memory they chase as repeated use becomes less pleasant and more dangerous. Never let anyone talk you into “experimenting” with dope, no matter how indestructible you think you are. Give yourself a special pass to be chickensh*t about this one thing. You can go jump an extra basejump later to make up for it.
June 2nd, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I like the shock value, and I don’t think its too over the top. As for “not even once,” that’s a tough call. Frankly, I wouldn’t want to injest the chemicals found under my kitchen sink… not even once.
November 19th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
As a young girl who is only 17 and has already done meth for four years!!!!i do not think this is over the top. I have seen things that most adults will never see. Ive done things that most adults would never do. I dont remember the day my father went to prsison. I dont remember my birthday. I dont remember my sister growing up. And i absolutely dont remember going to jail 8 times. This add is serious and nothing more than the truth. I give this campaign props. Now my little sister will never touch this disgusting drug. And my younger cousin who is 15 has entered rehab to get clean because she doesnt want to end up like this.
This campaign is the best thing ive seen in a very long time.
If it works then use it!
September 29th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
The return of the Montana Meth Project campaign! I’ve been patiently waiting for it for some time.
Although I still much prefer their previous work to these, this campaign still “hits it hard.” I’ve mentioned this on a couple of other posts before, but that one ad with a beaten-up mother in the dark kitchen still haunts me to this day. That was very emotional stuff…
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Crystal Meth Addiction