YOU'RE THE MAN!

Today I've had a few enlightening conversations with guy friends and faculty that have helped guide my message. I've been taking their perspectives combined with factual information gathered from National Organization surveys of teen boys and my own creative ideas.

The phrase "You're the Man" seems to resonate with everyone I talk to. Today, faculty Michael Mages reacted to it, saying that it's affirmative, presents a positive idea of masculinity, and ties into responsibility well.

The research I've done suggests that teen boys respond well to messages that affirm their masculinity and paint them in a "hero" perspective as a male. I feel like this phrase "you're the man" is adaptable for my purpose, as it is something guys already say to each other, but can have added meaning regarding personal empowerment and responsibility when it comes to healthy choices (i.e. sex and contraception). It is more positive and less heavy-handed than other key messages which seek to influence behavior.

Gratitude

In the spirit of the Oscars and my own immense gratitude - I'd like to thank people who have helped me out so much recently on my thesis project!

Brian Camarena, creative inspiration + spontaneous beers!

Austin Colby, my brother! creative inspiration + moral support!

Jake Ginsky, creative inspiration across time and space!

Roxy Davison, moral support!

Michelle Carpenter, UCD - creative, strategy, moral support!

Bryan Leister, creative + strategy!

Brian DeLevie, UCD - creative + strategy!

Michael Salamon, UCD - creative + strategy!

Lauren Baker - Nurse Family Partnership - creative + strategy!

Joey Torres - Colorado Youth Matter - creative + strategy!

Using existing data instead of polling minors

I reached out to the University of CO -Office of Research Development and Education to find out the protocol and legality around polling underage people about sexuality.

I was referred to the CU Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board (COMIRB), an administration "made up of 25 individuals whose responsibility is to ensure that all research activities involving human participants are conducted in a way that promotes the rights and welfare of the subjects. "

Ita Leitner of COMIRB promptly responded to me, suggested I assemble an "Expedited Submission with all the applicable attachments and materials."

I asked where to find these documents - and she directed me to a web page with a dizzying number of forms, and kindly wished me luck on my project.

I was already feeling uncomfortable about distributing my survey to schools, but now I really felt like I was in over my head.

I zeroed in on two forms "Application-for-Protocol-Review" and "Attachment-H-Children". The forms are written in such a way that they suggest use for scientific studies, especially those involving administration of drugs, or psychological research.

While my research would require these forms since I am studying sexual behavior and values of minors, it is more of a sociological study.

In any case, I continued digging deeper in my research on the internet. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (which I've mentioned in prior posts) is an incredible source of information, and I was fortunate to find a study administered in 2009 which closely parallels the survey I had developed. Here is the survey:

That's What He Said; What Guys Think About Sex, Love, Contraception, and Relationships

There are a few differences between the National Campaign survey and mine:

• National Campaign study is a little older than I was aiming for (15-22, segmented to 15-18 and 19-22); I was planning to poll 13-17
• questions parallel, and sometimes improve upon, my questions
• this is a national study, not exclusive to Denver
• my questions focus more on teen pregnancy and parenting than on sex alone

The age difference is not too much of an issue because they did segment their responses, and regardless, the work I create for this project is intended to influence ideas of all these ages. Just because the lower bracket is excluded from the poll does not mean they cannot be a valid part of a target audience.

I spoke with Bryan Leister about my concerns for administering a survey on my own, with an audience COMIRB calls "vulnerable" (children) and on a sensitive, personal matter. Bryan argued that I am not prepared to be a good survey administrator - that there are very specific ways that polls should be structured/worded/conducted, and I do not have experience with that. He strongly supported that I use existing research to build my message. He also noted that any legitimate national study of teen boys shouldn't demonstrate any big differences in teen boy beliefs and behavior; those would probably apply to Denver boys as they do nationally.

So, at this juncture, I am redirecting my efforts towards developing powerful messaging from existing research, instead of orchestrating a survey myself.

Thesis paper outline, v1

Ideas for show promo

BFA SHOW PROMO IDEAS

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

• poster
• postcards
• biz cards
• email blast
• website - showcasing artists and link to each of our websites (a Wordpress site? a site with a crazy homepage?)
• guerilla flyers - with tabs to pull off -stuff on lamp posts
• Facebook event
• stickers
• DJ
• Get a bar to sponsor an after party and publicize that too

distribute postcards to

• ad agencies
• art stores,
• galleries,
• cafes,

NOTIFY

• agencies
• westword
• 5280
• The Creative Group
• other hiring-entities

Busy week

I have a busy week... meeting with Lauren Baker of Nurse Family Partnership, Joey Torres of Colorado Youth Matter, as well as Michelle Carpenter and Bryan Leister, my mentors.

I deeply hope to have a better plan by Friday...

Surveying the boys

I woke up this morning thinking about my thesis, and began to take notes furiously before I started my day.

I am nervous about how I will pool an audience to draw information from. I began to consider how I would poll teen boys.

First, I believe it is absolutely necessary to tell teens exactly what I'm doing and why - have trust & transparency.

I want to get this research done in the next 7-10 days! Yikes.

Where to approach teens?

-org's, i.e. Girls Inc. CO Youth Matter, Aurora Teen Pregnancy Project

-McDonalds (I know Travis was kidding, but it's actually not a bad idea)

-on campus

-on the street

-skate park

-sex ed program at a school

-set up survey website / put on craigslist?

The really tricky thing is that these are quite intimate questions, and I'm not sure what is the best platform to get good answers. Accosting kids on the street is sort of sudden and intrusive; if I conducted an online survey, I'd want to make absolutely sure it is truly teen guys who are answering (not girls, and not random other people).

Maybe I can pass out the survey with a website code, and there is an incentive to completing the survey? Uggh… I can't afford to spend money on incentives… (maybe they get free condoms?! a code for mail-order Trojans :-)

Then I asked - is there any forum online where GUYS (teens) talk about sex? I feel like there are tons of sites for girls.

A short, simple survey on paper - anonymous - seems like a decent idea. I explored some potential questions I could ask, to get a read on what teen guys think about sex, birth control, and their personal responsibilities.

Here are some of the questions I came up with - VERY rough, just ideas.

================================

An anonymous questionnaire for teen boys.

Have you ever bought condoms?

Have you NOT bought condoms because you:

a) are embarrassed

b) don't have money for it

c) don't know where to get them

d) don't believe they're important

e) other ________________________

Do you think birth control is the responsibility of

a) girl

b) guy

c) both

d) neither

Who do you think is usually the one who does take responsibility for birth control?

a) girl

b) guy

If you decide not to use a condom, is it because you:

a) were unprepared (did not have one)

b) got caught up in the moment

c) don't know how to use it

d) don't think it's important

e) it is insulting to you or your partner

f) it causes suspicion between you and your partner

g) other ________________________

Do you ever worry about getting your partner pregnant?

a) no, never

b) sometimes, but chances are slim

c) a little, I should probably take more precaution

b) yes, definitely

If you answered "no" to the above, why are you not concerned?

______________________________________________

Have you ever considered how your life would change if you became a teen father?

a) yes

b) no

When you hear of other teen parents, do you think: (check all that apply)

a) that won't happen to me

b) they must have wanted it

c) they didn't take precautions

d) other ________________________

Did you know that 3/10 girls become pregnant before they turn 20?

Does this change how you feel about the importance of birth control?

a) yes

b) no

Do you think it's important to use a condom during sex because

a) it's a proven way to prevent pregnancy

b) it's a proven way to prevent STI's

c) you've been told it's important

d) not really sure why it's important

I choose NOT to wear a condom because:

a) takes away from the pleasure

b) don't like how it feels/looks

c) makes me feel like less of a man

d) it's awkward to put on

e) it kills the moment

Do you get most information about sex from

a) girl friends

b) guy friends

c) the Internet

d) school educators

e) non-school programs/educators

f) parents

g) siblings

h) TV & movies

i) other ________________________

If your partner became pregnant, would you

a) commit to fathering it, regardless of school/future plans

b) explore options besides parenting

c) leave it to the mother, it's her problem

d) no idea, I can't imagine that happening

e) that wouldn't happen to me

Thesis presentations

Thesis presentations occurred last Friday 2/10. I am overdue in reporting here.

My brain dump:

Leister's comments: (the MOST INSPIRING to me)

do something unorthodox

don't rely solely on the organizations

go my own way to keep the freedom to do something unique

an organization relies on grants and financials support / hinging on "acceptable" communication

make some waves

the org's aren't necessarily experts

Leister wanted to know if the decrease in teen pregnancy really was a result of the organizations' efforts over the last 15 years. I said I didn't know if it was directly related.

Tamara's comments

focus on boys instead of girls?

Girls are always the focus of these campaigns

Take a different approach

other feedback

Delevie asked again about a specific audience

-get the info FROM THE TEENS not from the organizations

I'm thinking I could employ motion design as well… for fun animation

Do something that gets the attention of boys

How to get the message across?

Speak their language

but appeal to their empathy for girls?

could be your sister, your mother

something scatological? dirty humor? but serious? something memorable

Perhaps just use the orgs as a mean to poll kids.

should I poll friends families who have teen kids?

approach kids on the 16th st mall?

Travis: at McDonalds?

craigslist?

revise my timeline

start polling teens ASAP

start crystallizing a message

examine if there have been any campaigns specifically targeting young men / boys about preventing unplanned pregnancy

"it's YOUR responsibility too"

make an anonymous questionnaire?

have different strategies to get the teens voices / input, i.e.

-in person, in random, public

-via anonymous questionnaire - craigslist - a survey?

-via questionnaire given to org's

-contact blog writers / managers - especially teens

-contact sex educators at schools?

I want to do something honest / unorthodox that influences people's behavior

maybe have a motion and print component. make it cool. make it SOMETHING PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!

examine boys style

skater-y stickers?

a name and branded logo for the campaign?

adult-swim-style but with a serious message?

Girls, Inc.

[UPDATE: I am meeting with Girls, Inc. tomorrow, Thurs. 2/9)

Heard back from Girls, Inc. Denver who I wrote last week. They are interested in partnering with me. Trying to set up a meeting with them next week, they have a location on West Colfax.

She also asked me if I'd do some video work for them in March... I would love to but I don't know if I have time.

Jeslin Shahrezaei

Development Manager-Grants and Communications

Every year Girls Inc. provides over $50,000 in college scholarships to teens... so amazing.

Girls, Inc. "inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold". Their mission includes this "Girls Bill of Rights":

Girls have the right…

• to be themselves and to resist gender-stereotypes; • to express themselves with originality and enthusiasm; • to take risks, to strive freely, and to take pride in success; • to accept and appreciate their bodies; • to have confidence in themselves and to be safe in the world; • to prepare for interesting work and economic independence.

Get local and specific. Chattin' with Delevie...

Met with Brian Delevie today. Had a very good conversation.

I told him that I'd spoken with a few organizations and was having a difficult time figuring out what I can effectively produce that an organization isn't already doing.

Brian encouraged me to get really specific about:

-Who I need to address [SPECIFIC COMMUNITY]

-How I need to address them [SPECIFIC PROBLEM & APPROACH]

How can I be effective in what could be compared to a "saturated market" in sex ed resources?

He recommended that I speak to church groups and community organizers as an alternative to reproductive rights organizations, who already have initiatives. I need to do more local research to make a realistic project.

I'm interested in researching teen pregnancy prevention among Latina teens. This is a big issue that already has received a lot of attention. There are already numerous movements to address the problem.

This doesn't mean it's not still a problem, or that it shouldn't be approached.

I need to get local and more specific.

Researching specifics...

Delevie encouraged me to get my research from other places besides the Internet… to get offline.

He suggested that I investigate specifics - such as if the target audience is generationally affected - i.e., is teen pregnancy affecting first or second generation Latinas in the US?

The teen pregnancy rate dropped until about 2005, and it has increased again since then. Delevie asked if it might have anything to do with Bush's policies, and his cutting funding for sex education in schools.

Campaign Fact Sheet

I am doing more research to fully develop my project goals.

This fact sheet is a good example of what I want to assemble for my vision (from Euro RSCG and the National Campaign to Prevent Teenage and Unintended Pregnancy)

It has a:

1. Campaign Sponsor
2. Volunteer Advertising Agency
3. Campaign Objective
4. Background on the subject matter and why it's important
5. Campaign Description (the PSAs, website, treatment, goals)
6. Target Audience
7. "Did you know" (relevant statistics)
8. Contacts for campaign info

I like how straightforward this sheet is, like a press release.

Bedsider Campaign

Cute PSAs about birth control options.

http://bedsider.adcouncil.org/television/

Stay Joven (Stay Young)

Inspiration:

STAY JOVEN

http://www.stayteen.org/youtube-channel-video/2113335FBA6D0777/0

This is the program launched by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

It seems a lot like EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

*sigh* well... I wonder if I could do something similar and launch it locally. Make it work specifically for a local partner organization. Do some special broadcast/outreach efforts for Denver schools.

It occurred to me also to create some loose style frames for what I want to do... which may help organizations have a better picture of my vision, and how it could benefit them.

Prevention First and Planned Parenthood

Last Thursday, I spoke with individuals from Prevention First and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

I was referred to Sommai Pham, the social media intern, at Prevention First. She asked me about my project and was certainly interested in having a bigger discussion about partnership - she is trying to set up a meeting with us and Toni (?) the political director for Prevention First. Sommai brought up an interesting question - she was concerned with the issue of getting permission from the girls' parents - to get their participation, film and broadcast them. She was also concerned about the potential efficacy of using their organization as a conversation loop - another organization might be better suited to handling response and resources. Sommai said she would try to organize a meeting for us after 2/8.

I also spoke with Rebecca Sunshine, Marketing Coordinator at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. She told me a few really cool social media outreach efforts that PP is already making.

First, PP is trying to form a partnership with a group call The National Campaign, who developed a program called "Stay Joven" whose goal is to reduce the rate of pregnancy (50%) among Latina teens. The program handed out flip cams to the teens, captured the conversation and questions among them, and and then produced PSA spots for broadcast from the content. Rebecca emphasized that studies have shown that broadcast is the most effective method to get messaging out. PP is trying to get authorization to air the spots in Colorado, but noted that advertising space is very expensive, and poses a barrier to this kind of outreach.

Planned Parenthood also provides a "Texting program" called ICYC (In Case You're Curious). Teens can anonymously text questions about sexual health to PP and have them answered within 24 hours. I was really impressed with this idea and wished that I was the one who came up with it!

Rebecca encouraged me to check out these existing campaigns, and consider how my creative vision could complement these existing efforts. At first I was discouraged because I thought the existing campaigns are so great, what can I do that is as valuable?

But I circle back to my idea of smartphones as a powerful tool to access information privately... and video as the ideal format to capture teens' attention. I still feel like combining these is a solid direction. Perhaps my next step is to find out if this has been done before, and what would make it successful. Maybe I don't need to exclusively tape teens talking... maybe it could be other content/footage produced and edited interestingly. It could be a combination of video and motion graphics, depending on the subject matter.

I want to find out what the most pressing questions teens have - and what the most effective ways of empowering them to make responsible decisions about birth control or delaying pregnancy. Then maybe I can figure out how to present the content. Ultimately I want to provide another channel for an organization to connect with the teens, and for the teens to have a resource for learning and self empowerment.

Made some contact...

I reached out to four organizations today:

-Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains

-Colorado Youth Matter (CO Org on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention)

-Prevention First Colorado (Associated with NARAL Pro-Choice Fdtn.)

-Colorado Coalition for Girls

I have a phone meeting set up tomorrow morning with Sommai Pham at Prevention First Colorado.

I still need to reach out to MCPN/Aurora Teen Pregnancy and Prevention Project and The Healthy Colorado Youth Alliance.

I also am starting to realize that specifically in the marketing part of my project, I will need to reach out to as many schools as possible to spread the word to student groups and educators.