An area where data has influenced communicators heavily is in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Instead of addressing social issues based on what communicators felt the public was thinking about, savvy PR pros now are likely to measure attitudes through research before embarking on an effort.
Once the research is completed, communicators can analyze the data and draw conclusions about how to invest corporate resources in CSR efforts that research identified as significant. After that they are able to lay out measurable objectives and goals; once the campaign is completed, they can determine success using measurement and the resulting data.
Take the case of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST). In 2015 Tennessee was a hotbed of opioid use, ranking number two in the nation for opioid prescription; unfortunately it also was 4th in opioid overdose deaths.
Since BCBST covered more than 1 million opioid prescriptions for its members, it decided it wanted to help. It began a campaign to reduce the number of Tennesseans who abuse/misuse controlled substances. It decided 2 ways to do this: reducing access to prescription drugs in homes; and increasing the perception of harm of prescription drugs among youth and adults.
BCBST partnered with the community program Count It! Lock It! Drop It! (CLD) and made a grant to the organization to effect change.
It then had an agency conduct a statewide public awareness survey to establish benchmarks to track campaign success. The results were used to shape campaign messaging and strategy. A follow-up statewide survey was conducted in August 2017 to track campaign progress.
Public Education Goals Year 1
- Collect 300 pounds of medications (opioids) at CLD-sponsored take-back events
- Collect 1,000 pounds of medications (opioids) at CLD community drop boxes
- Increase awareness of Count It! Lock It! Drop It!
- Increase the number of people who count their prescription pain pills
- Increase the number of people who are aware prescription medication should be safely discarded at take-back events and drop boxes
- Increase the number of people who take their unused opioids to a drop box
- Research
Source: BCBST
CLD Three-Year Goals
- Expand program to 44 communities
- Locate permanent drop boxes in all 95 counties through partnership with State of Tennessee
- Partner with Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to report pills collected at drop boxes and take-back events
- Partner with Drug Enforcement Agency to support and promote National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
Source: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
CLD
Three-Year Goal: Expand program to 44 “hot spot” communities
Baseline: 32 CLD communities
1 Year-Results: 59 CLD communities
Three-Year Goal: Locate permanent drop boxes in all 95 counties
Baseline: 86 counties with drop boxes
1-Year Results: 95 counties with drop boxes
Three-Year Goal: Establish partnership to streamline reporting
of pills collected at drop boxes and take-back events
Baseline: Reporting was inconsistent
1-Year Results: Information reported by 92 of the 95 counties; poundage reported almost doubled from baseline numbers
Three-Year Goal: Support and promote National Prescription
Drug Take-Back Day
Baseline: No events were planned in Nashville, the state’s largest city
1-Year Results: Eight take-back events in Nashville; media materials shared with CLD communities for local outreach
Public Education
1-Year Goal: Collect 300 pounds of medications at CLD-sponsored take-back events
Baseline: 781.86 pounds collected; one event held in spring 2016
1-Year Results: 27,645.42 pounds collected; data based on two events
1-Year Goal: Collect 1,000 pounds of medications at CLD drop boxes
Baseline: 27,377.14 pounds collected
Results: 34,268.98 pounds collected
1-Year Goal: Increase awareness of CLD
Baseline: 10% (2016 survey)|1-Year Results: 21% (2017 survey)
1-Year Goal: Increase the number of people who count their prescription medication
Baseline: 33% (2016 survey) |1-Year Results: No change (2017 survey)
1-Year Goal: Increase awareness that prescription medication should be safely discarded at take-back events and drop boxes
Baseline: 63% (2016 survey) |1-Year Results: 72% (2017 survey
1-Year Goal: Increase the number of people who take unused opioids to a drop box
Baseline: 30% (2016 survey) |1-Year Results: 43% (2017 survey)
Demand is Identified Using Data
When the initial survey found Tennesseans strongly supported public education campaigns to raise awareness of the problem and the steps needed to reduce the problem, BCBST realized the public desired such an effort. Other findings from that survey, shown below, helped BCBST realize residents were likely to dispose of pain medication at approved drop-off centers if they were made aware of them.
Armed with this data, BCBST and its agency mounted an integrated campaign (media relations, digital and social media, advertising and targeted emails) to make Tennesseans aware of three things they could do to help combat the opioid problem:
1. Count their pills once every two weeks to prevent theft and help ensure meds are taken properly. (Count It!)
2. Lock meds and/or store them in secure places. (Lock It!)
3. Drop off unused or expired meds at drop boxes located in pharmacies, law enforcement venues or at take-back events. (Drop It!)
In addition there was a partnership with Tennessee newspapers to announce the effort as well as events to raise awareness.
As you can see from the chart below, the campaign is working.
For example, the program has expanded to 59 counties from the baseline of 32, although the one-year goal was 44.
The 1-year goal for the amount of medicine collected at CLD drop boxes was set at 1,000 pounds. The one-year result was more than 34,000 pounds collected.