Last year I was hired by three small youth service bureaus in Middlesex County to work on a underage drinking prevention campaign. I imagined several press releases and some possible print articles…the standard fair for what seems like a small campaign. But what started out as a few ideas shared across a conference table turned into one of the most successful campaigns I’ve ever worked on.
The idea of preventing teenagers from drinking was not new to these three youth services executive directors. Prevention work was part of their daily work. They were ready to bring it to a different level. The target audience was clear – parents in the county who feel it’s okay or safe to allow their teenagers to drink. You’ve heard and seen the news reports of “well-meaning” adults who embrace the rationale that it’s safer to have my kid drink at home instead of someplace else.
So how were we going to carry off a meaningful campaign from these small agencies and really get some traction? Now these women didn’t have a ton of money nor a cadre of staff members to do the work. First of all they were smart and had a clear focus on their target audience. They knew the problem and were clear on the messages they needed to communicate. They also did not settle for being safe. They were willing to take risks. They had enough confidence in my work to let me help them explore possibilities, guide them through a few rough spots and execute a campaign that would raise some serious eyebrows.
The billboard shows a baby on the left side with a beer bottle to his mouth and on the right, two teenagers surrounded by alcohol at what seems to be a home. The caption reads, “You wouldn’t do this then…Why Now? There’s no Such Thing as Safe Underage Drinking.” You’ve got to see it to believe it! Check out the link to UPI Web site - UPI-93801255478616.html. This image and message has shot from Old Saybrook to San Antonio to Seattle, or Google Beer Bottle Baby Billboard.”
We always worry about measuring our impact, return on investment…whatever you want to call it. It can certainly be measured here. We’ve moved the needle locally about the issue and national organizations are knocking on their door. But there is no way for me to measure the personal satisfaction I got out of working on this campaign or with my three clients.
NBC30 Story on TWC Stop Underage Drinking Campaign – Beer Bottle Baby Billboard
So what did I learn as a seasoned public relations consultant? You don’t need a big client to make a big splash. Don’t expect less because a client is small. They certainly shouldn’t expect less from you. You just need smart, strategic-minded people working as a team.
Okay, you need more than that but you get my drift.
Anita Ford Saunders, APR a veteran in the communication and public relations profession, has over 30 years experience creating and implementing strategic communication plans for corporate and community-based organizations. 
