2. How it Began
• Office of National Drug Control Policy’s
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
created Above the Influence (ATI) to capture
the attention of youth when they are most
likely to be first exposed to substances of
abuse and are most vulnerable to negative
social and cultural influences
3. How it Works
• Includes broadened messaging to focus on substances most
abused by teens
• Delivers prevention messaging at the national level as well
as more targeted efforts at the local community level (this
two-tiered approach allows the Campaign to continue
reaching out to teens across the country with a highly
visible national media presence, while fostering the active
engagement and participation of youth at the community
level)
• Targets youth ages 12-17, with an emphasis on ages 14-16,
the critical transition years from middle school to high
school when teens are most likely to initiate drug use
4. Statistics
• Youth who are aware of the Above the Influence
advertising are consistently more likely to have
stronger anti-drug beliefs compared to those
unaware of the Campaign’s advertising.
• 75 percent of teens (both genders and all
ethnicities) say that Above the Influence speaks
to someone like them
• 80 percent of teens are aware of ATI advertising
5. How Do They Get Their Message
Across?
• Downloadable Resources: The National Youth Anti-
Drug Media Campaign offers a range of downloadable
resources to help teens stay above the influence. These
resources help teens, parents, educators, and
community groups recognize the signs and symptoms
of substance abuse and other risky behaviors, kick-start
discussions, and get help when it’s needed. Visit
www.TheAntiDrug.com/Resources to download our
brochures, posters, and other materials
• Advertisements: visit
www.AbovetheInfluence.com/the-ads to view the
latest Above the Influence advertising.
7. Campaign Effectiveness con’t
• More recent independent studies:
Dr. Michael Slater et al (2011), in a study published online by the
peer-reviewed journal Prevention Science, found evidence for the
effectiveness of the Above the Influence Campaign. This independent
scientific analysis, funded through a grant by the National Institutes on
Drug Abuse, concluded that "exposure to the ONDCP (ATI) campaign
predicted reduced marijuana use." The analysis, showed that those youth
who reported exposure to the ATI campaign were less likely to begin use
of marijuana compared to those not exposed to the ATI campaign – a
finding consistent with the Campaign's own year-round Youth Ad Tracking
Survey results.
Dr. Christopher Carpenter and Dr. Cornelia Pechmann (2011), in a
study published in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH ), linked
greater exposure to ONDCP's Above the Influence Campaign to reduced
drug use among young females. Specifically, the study found girls to be
especially receptive to Above the Influence's anti-drug messages about
achievement and living life above negative influences.
http://www.theantidrug.com/resources/pdfs/ATI_InfluenceProject_ActivityKit_PUBLIC_FINAL.pdf – pages 24&25The primary ways that youths become aware of this campaign is through the downloadable resources that parents, educators, and community groups make use of and, obviously, the advertisements that they play on TV. As for the downloadable resources, the parents, educators, and community groups use posters and brochures, printable materials of that nature, in the classroom and in community youth centers and youths can be exposed to it in this way, as well.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/Campaign-Effectiveness-and-RigorThis is a chart found on the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s website about the Above the Influence campaign’s effectiveness. As you can see, stronger anti-drug beliefs were found in youths that were more aware of the campaign and interacted with it more.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/Campaign-Effectiveness-and-RigorHere is some information about some independent studies that were conducted in regards to the campaign. In 2011, Dr. Michael Slater found evidence for the effectiveness of the campaign. The analysis showed that youth that had exposure to the campaign were less likely to begin use of marijuana compared to those not exposed to the campaign. Also in 2011, Dr. Christopher Carpenter and Dr. Cornelia Pechmann conducted a study that found that girls were especially receptive to the campaign’s messages about achievement and living life above negative influences.Link to Slater’s research study: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/aboveinfluence.htm
This is the cover photo of the Facebook page. It gives a description of what the organization is about, shows that over 1.7 million people have liked the page, allows viewers access to photos and videos related to the campaign, and information in case you or someone you know needs help with peer pressure related to substance abuse.
On the homepage of the site, it gives viewers the option to like their Facebook page and “publicly recommend on Google,” while showing how many others already have. It also gives viewers the option to tweet a link to their website and post to the hashtag #abovetheinfluence so that their followers and others that follow the tag can see. It provides a link to its YouTube channel, as well. As you can see, the homepage provides a description of what it means to be above the influence, information about how to tackle peer pressure, information about what the organization has been up to recently (the latest), a message about teens creating a personal slogan for themselves and how they live above the influence (on the ground), and links to the ads (our ads on tv). This isn’t the full version of the homepage, however. Underneath this it also contains links to information about how to live above the influence, how to help a friend, and facts about substance abuse.
