Unexpected

June 10, 2013; N.Y. Daily News

Using an advertising concept that saw success in Milwaukee, the Chicago Department of Public Health has plastered ads in the Windy City’s buses and trains that are headlined “Unexpected?” and show teen boys with bulging bellies. They look upset as you or I might be with an unexpected pregnancy.

It’s part of a city campaign to reduce teenage pregnancy. The campaign in Milwaukee was credited with a 10% reduction in teen pregnancies, though we do not know how that figure was calculated.

Here are two excellent articles that discuss the strategies of social marketing – one on visual images and one more generally on social marketing strategy.—Ruth McCambridge