Tobacco Regulations Mobile Texting Program

Sanjay J. Koyani / Senior Communications AdvisorU.S. Food and Drug Administration

Center for Tobacco Productssanjay.koyani@fda.gov

301.796.9315

June ‘09: President Obama Signs the Tobacco Control Act

Educational Campaign• Audience

– Primary: Tobacco Retailers (very diverse: big chains and mom & pop stores)

– Secondary: State Tobacco Control• Goal

– Educate about Regulations on Sale and Promotion of Tobacco Products

– Encourage voluntary compliance with FDA Tobacco Product Regulations and enlist retailer’s support.

Multi-Touchpoint Approach

• Posters & Flyers• Podcasts• Twitter• Google Adwords• Direct Mail• Mobile

•Syndicated Content•RSS•Widget•Badges•E-mail Updates•Ideation for Feedback

Mobile Pilot Program

• Educational Text Messages

• Quiz questions for one month

• Recognition prize on FDA.gov Podcast & YouTube

Learn about new FDA tobacco regulations!

Mobile Content ExamplesWeek 1 Messages: • Monday Message: To Everyone

– FDA: What happened to light, low & mild? Beginning on June 22, tobacco companies are no longer allowed to use these labels. To stop, reply RET QUIT [149]

• Wednesday Message: To Retailers & State/Local– FDA: Remember to check IDs for anyone under 27 buying

tobacco. It's the new law and helps protect our youth. http://www.fda.gov/tobaccoretailers . [145]

• Wednesday Messages: To General Public / Other– FDA: Are you under 27? If so, you may be carded when buying

tobacco products. The new laws are to protect youth. http://www.fda.gov/protectyouth. [150]

Mobile Quiz ExamplesWeek 1 Quiz:

• Friday Quiz Invitation: To Everyone– FDA QUIZ: For a chance to win national recognition in one of our

podcast series! Reply QUIZ to begin. For full rules visit: http://www.fda.gov/m/ucm221831 [155]

• Quiz– FDA QUIZ: What happened to light, low, mild? A) The labels are

now in health warnings, B) These labels are no longer allowed. (Reply A, B) [140]

– Correct Answer• That's correct! Tobacco companies are no longer allowed to label products as

light, low, mild. You've been entered to be featured in an FDA podcast [147]

– Incorrect Answer• Sorry! Tobacco companies are no longer allowed to label products as light,

low, mild. Please try again next week. [113]

Mobile Recognition Examplehttp://tinyurl.com/4rcne88

http://go.usa.gov/rh1

Why Use Recognition?• Incentive to maintain engagement/

relationship building• Empowers Audience• Create role models• Content for FDA’s Channels• Possibilities of Compensation in the future

(builds buzz, acknowledges performance)

Promote! Promote! Promote!• One month sign-up period• Email Blasts to Partners and

Stakeholders• Online Ads at Retailer Destinations• Vendor’s Mobile Network• Mobile Google Adwords• Leveraging Partners Mobile Text

Program (CDC)• Twitter Announcements• Direct Mail• Website Button

Evaluation Survey • Over 1000 subscribers• Total Started Survey: 85 • Total Completed Survey: 65

(76.5%)• 87% of respondents

where satisfied or very satisfied with the messaging program.

• 79% of respondents found the messages to be very effective or somewhat effective.

FDA - Mobile Text Messaging Survey

37%

3%

50%

10%

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

Survey DemographicsLevel of Education• High school or less 5%• Some college 30%• College degree 31%• Advanced degree 34%

Role• Individual interested in tobacco

regulations - 28.6%• Employee of a retail or wholesale

company who sells tobacco - 7.9%• Employee of a tobacco manufacturer

or grower - 1.6%• Public Health Professional - 38.1%• Public Health Advocate - 6.3%• State or local control official - 4.8%• Other (please specify) - 12.7%

FDA - Mobile Text Messaging Survey

Individual interested intobacco regulations

Employee of a retail orwholesale company whosells tobacco

Employee of a tobaccomanufacturer or grower

Public Health Professional

Public Health Advocate

State or local controlofficial

Other (please specify)

Other Findings• Respondents liked the text message topics and the

fact that they were "short and to the point"; however, they would also like to see them more frequently.

• Regarding the quizzes, over 50% did not take the quizzes, but those that did preferred a monetary award to be offered as a prize.