Social marketing campaign on avoidance of alcohol consumption during pregnancy

Positioning statement

We want pregnant women to deem alcohol abstinence during pregnancy as a prerequisite to bearing healthy babies free from alcohol induced health conditions such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The health of the unborn baby is important compared to the instant but short-lived gratification acquired from alcohol consumption.

Marketing mix

This concept relates to creation of the right product, at the right price and promoted correctly to the target audience. Marketing mix is aimed at influencing consumers to buy products or adopt a certain desired habit. It has four main components as follows; Product design and platform, price, place and promotion.

Product design

This can be defined as the desired behaviour that is being cultivated in the target audience, its benefits and other services that serve to support cultivation of the desired behaviour. In our campaign, our major products include the following;

• Campaigning against alcohol use among pregnant women
• Encouraging alcohol free pregnancy journey.
• Provision of alternative non-alcoholic drink options for pregnant women and also encouraging participation in other activities that don’t involve alcohol.
• Creating awareness on the high incidences of babies born with FASD.

Price

This is the cost of overpowering various barriers that the target audience will face in transforming into the desired habit.

Abstaining from the use of alcohol during pregnancy has emotional, financial and psychological costs especially if the individual was an alcoholic.

However, the benefits of abstaining from alcohol during such period outweigh the few drawbacks. The main advantages being;

-Delivery of babies free from FASD therefore the mothers wont incur the expensive treatment costs for treating such ailments.

Pregnant women will however feel alienated from their counterparts who drink alcohol during this period.

Individuals that were alcoholics will have to suffer withdrawal symptoms upon quitting alcohol use.

Use of alcohol during pregnancy has deadly costs, among them being;

• Treatment for a child with FASD can cost above $1million
• Significant lifelong effects on the education and opportunities for children

Motivating factors for abstinence

Avoidance of alcohol use during pregnancy guarantees delivery of healthy babies free from FASD.

Avoidance of alcohol use will also lessen the fear associated with delivery of babies with complications.

It will also increase social approval of the pregnant woman. Previous studies have shown that pregnant women who drink alcohol are strongly alienated in society.

Place

This refers to the locality where the targeted audience is expected to show the desired behaviour and also where they will be able to access services of this campaign.

The location where this alcohol abstinence campaign services will be provided include; maternal clinics, local hospitals, mobile vans for location-based services and national social events.

Pregnant women will be encouraged to completely abstain from alcohol use at home, at work and during social events. This is because alcohol is perceived as a major drink in Australian social events thus pregnant women can readily drink during such events.

The campaign will also advocate for provision of non-alcoholic drinks at work and during social events to cater for needs of pregnant women.

This campaign will also make use of several people such as; Obstetricians, husbands or partners and family members of pregnant women. These will thus serve as part of the distribution channels of this campaign.

Obstetrician- Past studies show that pregnant women tend to heed to the advice from their obstetrician more than from any other source. This campaign will thus encourage obstetricians and other medical professionals to spread awareness on the detrimental effects of prenatal alcohol exposure to women and pregnant mothers.

Husbands/ partners- Research shows that a partner’s drinking habits can determine whether a pregnant woman will drink or not. Partners will thus be advised to regulate or abstain from alcohol abuse during that period to support the pregnant mother in the alcohol free pregnancy journey.

Promotion

This refers to channels, materials and messages used for communication purposes to effectively deliver the information to target audience.

This will be done through billboards, public service announcements, community outreach, brochures 

 and mass mailings. The main aim will be to reach as many pregnant women as possible either directly or indirectly. Billboards will placed along busy traffic routes where they can be viewed by a large population. Brochures with detailed information on safe pregnancy habits and alcohol abstinence will be distributed to various maternal clinics who will in turn give them to pregnant women during clinic visits.

The messages will be targeted to pregnant women and also other people in the distribution channel capable of influencing habits of these women such as their partners, friends and obstetricians.

We intend to create partnerships with various groups among them being influential women groups in Australia, recognised national medical organizations, influential maternal child health organizations and companies associated with infant wellness.

The key message that will be conveyed throughout this campaign include the following;

• The negative effects of alcohol use on the pregnant mother such as fatigue, impaired judgement and high predisposition to infections such as hepatitis that could threaten the pregnancy
• The negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure to the fetus such as improper development of major organs such as brain. These effects cause permanent damage and can affect the learning ability of a child.
• Incidence levels of children born with Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in Australia.
• The financial, emotional and psychological cost of treating a child with FASD.

Sponsorship

Alcohol abuse during pregnancy is a national issue here in Australia hence we will  request the government to sponsor part of this project. The other cash will be garnered from savings and child help support organizations.

References

Ajzen, I., 1991. Theories of cognitive self regulation: the theory of planned behaviour. Organizationall behaviour and human decision process, p. 50.

Anon., 2009. National Health and Medical Research Council. National statement on ethical conduct in human research.

Anon., 2012. Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council. Clinical practice guidelines: Antenatal care, Volume module 1.

Anon., 2014. Births,Australia. AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, p. online.

Baxter, L. H. R., 2004. Dialogic voices in talk about drinking and pregnancy. Journal of Applied Communication Research, p. 224.

Lupton C, B. L. &. H., 2004. Cost of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. American journal of medical genetics, pp. 42-50.

Raymond N, B. &. K., 2009. Pregnant women’s attitudes towards alcohol consumption. p. 175.

UNIVERSITY, A. N., 2001. The moodgym training program (online). National institute of mental health research.