Effectively Marketing College Access to Urban Teens

1. Effectively Marketing College Access to Urban Teens Ivan Juzang MEE Productions Inc

2. “You’re not talking to me” Communicating Effectively in Today’s Environment

3. Thinking It Through Question 1: Who is your target audience(s)? Question 2: What is your core school success message? Question 3: How much money do you have? Question 4: What delivery channels are you using? Question 5: Who is the best message sender(s)?

4. Developmental Framework • POINT B - Where we want the audience to be (Q - 2 & 3) • Defined clear agenda • Relative position • Deeper conversation (Dialogue) • POINT A - Where the audience is (Q - 1, 4, 5) • Context • World View • Issues • POINT 0 - Where the service providers and volunteers are • Baggage • Myths and misinformation • Mindset, funding, terms of relationship

5. Two Low-Income Urban Teen Audiences Teens who want/plan to go to college • Academically qualified students • BUT they do NOT know how they are going to pay for it • Do NOT know all of their financial aid options or FAFSA • Key: Teens and parents need 1-on-1 support to complete the process

6. Two Low-Income Urban Teen Audiences Teens for whom college is NOT on the radar • Key: Keep low-income youth from dropping out of high school • Increase number of students who pursue postsecondary training • Take advantage of federal student aid • Note: Two issues around self-efficacy • Can I handle it? • Can I afford it?

7. Four Pillars Developmental Framework • Basic model of communications • Oral communications culture – environmental context • Moving an audience from Point A to Point B • “What to Say” (content) and “How to Say It” (delivery)

8. The Basic Model of Communication Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver Credibility Content Effectiveness Targeted “It’s NOT Only What You Say, But How You Say It!”

9. Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver • Oral History - Storytelling (not linear) • Highly Interactive - Social Interaction • Challenge the sender • Argument/Counter-Argument - “Questioning” • Sender: Debating position, convincing, defending • Receiver: Venting, sharing realities (the why behind the behavior) Oral Communications Culture

10. Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver • I’m getting a job - I don’t need college • Didn’t take the right classes - My grades are NOT good enough • Too difficult - I can’t handle the pressure • Teachers/Counselors didn’t tell me about it • I don’t know anything about financial aid • Don’t know how - Can’t afford college (too poor) • Parents: Don’t want loans (“If you don’t get a scholarship”) • FAFSA is too complicated - Too many forms to fill out Arguments/Concerns Counter Arguments

11. Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver Point A (The Urban Context) The Receiver's WORLDVIEW (The reality of low-income urban audiences & youth) • The streets • Education/public schools • Economics • Health care and public health • Government (the system) • Mass media • Family/Community • Mainstream, dominant society

12. Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver • TV: 34% of African American youth watch 4 or more hours/day • Radio: 28% of AA youth listen to 4 or more hours/day • DVD/VCR: 95% of AA have a VCR or DVD in the household • Print: 75% of AA youth “like to read” • Transit: 48% of AA youth take public transportation • Internet: 91% of AA youth had access to the Internet • Movie Theater: 62% of AA youth go to the movies 2 or more times/month Traditional Delivery Channels

13. Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver • High media consumption • Peer acceptance • Unrealized adult power How To Say It!! (Advertising vs. Community-Based) • * Adult power trumps peer influence • * Counselors, some teachers and • parents/family are KEY influencers

14. Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver • You CAN go to college. You can get financial aid. We can help • Your future -Your choice (The choices you make today) • Make tomorrow’s success (your dreams) happen with today’s choices • College can better your life (promote the benefits of education) • You say you want to get paid. You say you want a better life. Get in the game! • Start by seeing how much money the government will give you (FREE) What to Say!! Promoting Postsecondary Education

15. Leverage voice and visibility Passionate/vested in the topic Knowledgeable about issue Community roots & credibility Nationally or regionally known PSAs (TV/Cable/Radio/Print) Press (TV/Radio/Print/Ethnic) Policymakers (ALL levels) Grassroots advocacy/forums Celebrity events (bring peers) Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver Celebrity – n. – 1. Famous Person; 2. A Highly Visible or Popular Person Who Appeals to Others; 3. Renown Sender: (Celebrities) Channel: (for Celebrities) *

16. Identifying the peer leader Sub-group cultures (leaders) Access, language, credibility Recovered, older peers (A  B) Arguments/Counter Arguments Keys to the community (parents) Listen to & involve; Use media Empower parents (1-to-3-to-15) 3R’s (Real, Relevant, Respectful) Best interest (high expectations) Sender | Message| Channel | Receiver How to Say It! Sender: (Peer-to-Peer) Sender: (Community-to-Parents)*

17. Campaign Messages and Themes “Youth have the power and choices to change their lives” • Youth are on their own and must fend for themselves • Many know that education is the way out of the negative cycle in which they find themselves • Youth are unaware of ALL of their choices • Work with and talk directly to youth

18. Campaign Messages and Themes “Youth have the power and choices to change their lives” • Motivate youth to be the catalyst of their own success • Empower youth through the campaign messages, activities and media “It will be important for ALL adults to support and inform youth about their choices and tell them they have more power than they are aware of.”

19. Campaign Messages and Themes There MUST be resources and people in place who can help • Provide and/or direct youth to services, programs created and designed for them – Go To Them!!! • Support and promote a “one-stop” solution center for a wide variety of education issues • Parents and youth need 1-on-1, face-to-face assistance with completing forms

20. Campaign Messages and Themes There MUST be resources and people in place who can help • Promote ALL types of financial aid, besides just scholarships • All media and materials should drive teens and parents to a user-friendly toll-free number • Parents and Students need help across the “finish line”

21. Education Messages with Street Life • Develop messages that create community ownership of student achievement and higher education • You can change the game – You can go to college - Get financial aid • Messages must be real, authentic and respectful of the community • Go into the community (listen and involve the target audience in the process) • Create messages, images and symbols that ethnic/urban audiences relate to

22. Education Messages with Street Life • Use both traditional and non-traditional delivery channels • “By and For” messages will compete with other life choices • Special focus on the highest risk youth (many of whom are trendsetters)