Challenge
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The warning signs between men and women differ, and often the ones most advertised or talked about are those that affect men. For the third year in a row, Contrast Creative collaborated with The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence (CCME) in partnership with The Justice-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force and the North Carolina Heart Disease Stroke Prevention (HDSP) Program to produce a heart disease and stroke prevention public service announcement (PSA) as part of the “Start With Your Heart” Public Awareness Campaign. The 2013 spot titled “I’m Fine” aimed to educate women on the symptoms of an impending stroke in a compelling and effective way.
Results
The :30 commercial aired a total of 9,500 times during four weeks in May (May 6-31) 2013, just in time for National Stroke Awareness Month, on television stations across North Carolina. Success was measured through pre- and post-campaign surveys polling two separate groups of 300 North Carolinians, equal parts of males and females ages 35+ who have a household income of less than $100,000. The results from the post-campaign survey show a dramatic increase in advertising recall both overall (+18 percent) and from each subgroup: African Americans (+23 percent); Caucasians (+6 percent); males (+19 percent); and females (+16 percent). And, the number of respondents who recalled hearing an advertisement about the signs and symptoms of a stroke increased by 10 percent. Furthermore, there was a nine percent increase in the number of respondents who had heard the awareness message via television.