Florida Department of Health Abstinence Education Program

OVERVIEW
The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Abstinence Education Program is designed to reduce teen pregnancy and the incidence of sexually transmitted disease among youth by promoting sexual abstinence as the accepted societal norm for unmarried teens. The program explores teen attitudes, beliefs, and social pressures related to the consequences of sexual activity outside marriage. Program activities focus on enhancing self-esteem and building skills such as positive goal setting, decision-making, problem solving, negotiation, and refusal techniques. Children and parents are taught the physical and psychological health facts on why “It's Great to Wait” until marriage to engage in sexual activity.

STRATEGY & POSITIONING
Patterson/Bach needed to develop a nine-month plan to reach the target audiences of 9 to 18 year olds, parents, educators, and community leaders with the messages of the statewide Abstinence Education Program. P/B’s initial task was maximizing attendance at the Program's regional “Great to Wait” rallies held throughout Florida during April and May 2005.

P/B branded the events by creating a consistent look for all on-site signage, mailers, banners, and other collateral materials. Public service announcements (PSAs) and media advisories for each rally were created and disseminated to the electronic and print media in each region. Paid radio spots and print ads were developed in English, Spanish, and Creole (for the print ads in South Florida), and placed in appropriate radio and newspaper venues to reach the target audiences. Direct mail postcards encouraged attendance at the final three rallies. P/B worked side-by-side with FDOH personnel to staff the rallies and associated Parent and Educator Workshops.

CREATIVE APPROACH
In addition to creating a graphic look for the “Great to Wait” abstinence education campaign rallies, P/B plans to continue reaching target audiences through the production and airing of an upbeat, motivational, and sometimes surprising video docudrama. Through actual rally attendee testimonials, the docudrama highlights the consequencesof early sexual activity, the sexual pressures faced by today's youth, and the ways in which parents and educators respond. The production will air on government access cable channels statewide.

Other public relations campaign elements include:

• Development/distribution of in-depth media kit materials.
• A bi-monthly electronic newsletter that promotes best practices around the state, community successes and topical information from FDOH.
• Publication of stories that feature youth who have and have not
  chosen abstinence, and the consequences thereof.
• A Web site-oriented contest in conjunction with the docudrama airing.
• A tradeshow booth display.

EVALUATION
The rallies averaged 500 attendees each, with over 800 in Tallahassee.
The attendee evaluation sheets tallied by P/B demonstrate the success in
spreading the “Great to Wait” campaign message. Media coverage on TV
stations such as WCJB in Gainesville, and in newspapers such as the
Tallahassee Democrat, has been very positive.

13”x11” Newspaper ad (English)

11.75”x10.5” Newspaper ad (Spanish)

11.75”x10.5” Newspaper ad (Creole)

9”x6” Postcard (to Parents)

9”x6” Postcard (to Educators)

22”x28” Rally Registration Signs

8’x5’ Banner

4’x2’ Banner

3.75”x5” Shoelace Card

10’x8’ Event Display