Contraband Cigarettes Advertising Campaign: Thematics Testing

Prepared for the:
Canada Revenue Agency
FINAL REPORT
August, 2010
POR #010-10
46558-119101/001/CY
Contract award date: 2010-07-05

Prepared by:
Phase 5 Consulting Group Inc.

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Media Enquiries:
Media Relations
Canada Revenue Agency
4th Floor 555 MacKenzie Avenue
Ottawa ON K1A 0L5
media.relations@cra-arc.gc.ca

Executive Summary

Background

In the fall of 2010 the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is planning to launch an advertising campaign focusing on the link between organized crime and the purchase of contraband cigarettes. The 'primary objective of the campaign is to raise awareness of the fact that purchasing contraband cigarettes products is illegal and that it supports organized crime'. Although the campaign is intended to increase awareness among all those who smoke, at the time of this preliminary research two target audiences were being considered. This included youth and young adult smokers living in Ontario and Québec. Specific advertising objectives will include:

• increasing the number of Canadians who believe that purchasing contraband cigarettes is illegal and supports organized crime; and
• increasing the number of Canadians who believe that their neighbourhoods are safer because there is no contraband cigarette trade in their neighbourhood.

An advertising campaign that links contraband cigarettes to illegal activity is new ground. There is not a body of research, or past experience, that the CRA can draw on to assist it as it develops the planned campaign. As a result, it was decided to conduct qualitative research with representatives from the target audiences in order to guide key decisions related to the proposed campaign.

Objectives

• To develop a sound understanding of the current context (e.g. the awareness and knowledge of the link between the purchase of contraband cigarettes and organized crime, language understood and used by the target audience etc.).
• To provide insights that will guide the development of effective core communication elements (e.g. themes, messages, images).
• To obtain feedback on preliminary thematics. The research was used to test preliminary thematics or broad approaches.
• To identify the media that will be most effective at reaching the target audiences.

Approach

Our overall approach to the work included the conduct of 8 focus groups. In total 64 teenagers and young adults participated in the sessions. Half the focus groups were conducted with youth 16 to 19 and the other half with young adults 20 to 24. All groups were conducted in Ontario and Québec - two groups were held in each of Toronto (English), London (English), Québec City (French) and Trois-Rivières (French).

Note to reader: Readers are reminded that the results of qualitative research are not statistically representative. They therefore cannot be generalized to a wider population and represent only the perceptions and opinions of a select group. Notwithstanding this point, the feedback obtained through the focus groups provided very useful direction and guidance for moving forward with the next versions of the creative concepts for the advertising campaign.

The total (actual) cost of this research project was $57,258.64 (HST included).

Key Conclusions and Implications

Key Conclusions

• The Context
  • Although known by other names, contraband cigarettes are extremely common, teenagers and young adults are very familiar with them and for the most part (excluding health risks) they do not think they cause harm to anyone, but the government due to lost revenue. In some cases purchasing contraband cigarettes is viewed as helping producers and sellers who are perceived to often have a low or limited income.
  • The vast majority are purchasing contraband cigarettes because they are significantly cheaper than legal cigarettes. The cost difference is extremely compelling and the only option for some. Contraband cigarettes are also easier to access for teenagers who cannot legally buy cigarettes.
  • Most were aware that contraband cigarettes are illegal, but they are so common that this is not a concern or something they think about.
  • The majority in this age category are not opposed to the sale of contraband cigarettes. Those who stated they are opposed were most likely to be opposed due to the poor quality of contraband cigarettes and being unsure about what is in them. Only a few in Quebec were opposed because they are illegal or because of lost tax revenue.
  • Most assume that the profit from contraband cigarettes goes to those who are making and selling them – this is primarily people who live on reserve and others who buy from the reserve and resell them. They are not making a connection past the person they are buying them from and the people on reserve who buy and sell them. As a result, they are unaware of the link to organized crime.
  • The term 'contraband cigarettes' was not used or familiar to the target audience. The commonly used terms (e.g. 'natives', 'cigarettes indiennes') draw the link to reserves – what is assumed to be the source of contraband cigarettes.

• Overall Reactions to the Proposed Campaign: The majority of participants were skeptical about the value of the proposed campaign. Their comments indicated it lacked credibility and clarity and they were puzzled why money would be spent on the issue of purchasing contraband cigarettes versus what they perceive to be more important problems. The following present some of the key challenges that need to be addressed in the communication strategy.
  • What's the big deal? Most wondered why there is a focus on contraband cigarettes when 'there are bigger things going on'. They felt that other issues were far higher priority e.g. prostitution, guns, drugs.
  • The link to organized crime is not clear and seems 'far-fetched'. Most did not understand and were puzzled by the link between organized crime and contraband cigarettes. They simply did not understand how purchasing contraband cigarettes leads to things associated with organized crime such as prostitution, drugs and guns.
  • How does this make my neighbourhood unsafe? The second advertising objective presented to participants, links the lack of contraband cigarettes to safer neighbourhoods. The majority of participants really struggled with understanding how contraband cigarettes make their neighbourhoods unsafe, particularly when compared to other illegal activities.
  • We need proof that there is a link. Many were highly skeptical of the link between contraband cigarettes and organized crime. As a result some suggested and emphasized the importance of providing proof of the link.
  • There is a disconnect between their perception of those selling contraband cigarettes and those involved in organized crime. The faces of those involved in the sale of contraband cigarettes are at their school, in a nearby apartment building, or families on reserve. In some cases they are family members or classmates or colleagues at work. Connecting these people with organized crime was a leap for most.
  • People will not care / they will not take this seriously. Several doubted the value of the campaign as they viewed it as futile. They commented that those who buy contraband cigarettes do so because the cigarettes are so much cheaper.

• Overall Reactions to the Proposed Campaign Themes: The overall reaction to the proposed themes was weak as the themes failed to address some of the fundamental challenges needed to effectively present the communication objectives. The key issues are that they did not establish a clear link between contraband cigarettes and organized crime and unsafe neighbourhoods, they did not provide the evidence needed to establish the credibility of these links and they did not convince participants that this is an issue worthy of their concern.

Implications and Recommendations

• The context the advertising campaign will be operating in presents significant challenges. Contraband cigarettes are common, familiar and not seen to cause harm. There is virtually no awareness of the link to organized crime and although adolescents and young adults realize they are illegal the advantages related to cost and access far outweigh current concerns related to their illegality. As a result, members of this target audience are not going to unquestioningly accept the core communication objectives.
  Implication: The core elements of the campaign need to focus on ensuring that the communication objectives are regarded as credible and significant (worthy of concern).
• The creative concepts will need to draw a clear and understandable link between contraband cigarettes and organized crime and other illegal activities. The themes tested in this research stated there is a link between contraband cigarettes and organized crime. However, this was not adequate as participants indicated the link needs to be shown to be credible.
  Recommendation: Ensure future creative concepts clearly demonstrate the link between contraband cigarettes as well as stating it.
• The creative concepts will also need to provide proof and establish the link between contraband cigarettes and criminal activity. In addition to showing the link, the campaign needs to be backed up with information, facts and / or statistics to ensure the 'link' is believed. This information also needs to establish the importance of this issue vis a vis other criminal activities. This ensures that it is not brushed off because there are more important things to worry about.
  Recommendation: Present and provide access to factual data and statistics that back up the core messages of the campaign and establish their significance.
• Participants did not believe that contraband cigarettes have an impact on the safety of their neighbourhoods. The objective dealing with creating awareness that purchasing contraband cigarettes is illegal and supports organized crime has some credibility, but that neighbourhoods will be safer because there is no contraband cigarette trade is too much of a stretch at this point.
  Recommendation: Drop the objective related to safe neighbourhoods i.e. increasing the number of Canadians who believe that their neighbourhoods are safer because there is no contraband cigarette trade in their neighbourhood.
• Contraband cigarettes are strongly linked to Aboriginal people and reserves. The common names for contraband cigarettes illustrate the strength of this connection. An advertising campaign about contraband cigarettes may have implications for, or reflect on Aboriginal people.
  Implication: It will be necessary to carefully monitor and manage this aspect of the campaign.
• Teenagers who have more difficulty accessing legal cigarettes and have limited disposable income are likely not the ideal starting point for this campaign. Although the intent of the current campaign is to generate awareness, if the eventual intent is to effect behavior change, teenagers may not be the ideal audience to start with. The campaign is likely to be more effective with young adults who have purchasing options and more disposable income.
  Recommendation: Shift the focus of the ad campaign to those 20 and over.
• Participants suggested that the most effective communication tools for reaching them with the message would be television ads, the internet / social media and posters. This appears to be a logical fit for a younger audience.
  Recommendation: Consider a mix of television ads, the internet / social media and posters suitable for display in public transit venues.
• The majority of participants stated they would be unlikely to visit a Web site that is just included on a television advertisement. To generate traffic a compelling link on a site (e.g. Facebook) frequented by the target audience is likely to be a more successful approach.
  Recommendation: ensure the internet strategy includes a strong pull component i.e. compelling ads / links placed on relevant Web sites e.g. Facebook.

Date modified:

2011-01-25