Does social norms marketing work?
Health promotion research conducted over the past decade in the United States, Canada and Austrailia with youth and college students reveals that this is one method of delivering media-based prevention messages that is scientifically defensible. Although many other approaches have been popular such as the use of scare tactics, awareness weeks, and providing factual/educational information – these approaches have been ineffective for reducing risky behaviours associated with substance abuse. Social norms marketing, if done correctly, works.
