Reaching youth and young adult audiences online with tobacco prevention messaging

Abstract

Introduction: As part of its comprehensive tobacco control program, the Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida (BTFF) conducts a statewide campaign called The Facts Now that primarily uses digital and social media to reach youth and young adults. The campaign disseminates messages about the harms of tobacco and nicotine via paid ads and organic posts on digital and social media platforms, and has a campaign website, TheFactsNow.com. The campaign is strategically implemented throughout the year, with only brief pauses in campaign ad delivery. Between 2021 and 2023, The Facts Now resulted in over 1.26 billion total paid impressions across Facebook and Instagram, Google Search, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, digital display networks, broadcast television, over-the-top (OTT) ads, terrestrial radio, and streaming radio. Over 96% of these impressions were on digital platforms, and 157.3 million were on platforms for which we have detailed reach and engagement metrics (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and Google).Methods: We examined campaign reach and engagement on these platforms, including ad awareness and ad-driven website traffic to TheFactsNow.com over the 3-year period.Results: Results indicate that campaign ad impressions, ad awareness, and engagement—including user traffic to the website—increased year over year. Brand awareness exceeded 75% and ad awareness reached 68% by 2023.Discussion: Findings suggest that utilizing digital platforms relevant to the target audience and delivering consistent messaging across these platforms achieved successful campaign reach and engagement with the campaign's intended audience.