PSA Campaign Surpasses $120 Million-Mark in Donated Media
Washington, DC—A new national tracking survey released by the Ad Council on behalf of the KnowHow2GO campaign shows increases in several key attitudinal and behavioral measures since the initiative launched in January 2007. Among the gains is a significant spike in the percentage of students who say they are taking steps to prepare for college, a key campaign message.
KnowHow2GO is a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign that combines education, community-based and government partnerships to raise awareness among low-income and first-generation students in grades 8 through 10 about preparing for college. Co-sponsored by the American Council on Education (ACE) and Lumina Foundation for Education, the campaign was developed in partnership with the Ad Council. The PSAs were created pro bono by Publicis New York.
Among the Key Findings:
- The percentage of students who said they are regularly taking steps to prepare for college grew significantly to 35 percent in 2009, up from 26 percent in 2007.
- Nine in 10 students (91 percent) said they have spoken to an adult about getting prepared for college, up from 80 percent in 2007.
- Six in 10 students (63 percent) said they recall seeing or hearing at least one KnowHow2GO message (TV, radio, online, print or poster).
“These results are extremely promising,” said Jamie Merisotis, president and chief executive officer of Lumina Foundation for Education. “As our nation endures these turbulent times, we must continue to work on giving students the tools and resources they need to succeed.”
“Expanding access to higher education is central to the success of our citizenry and a top priority of the Obama administration,” said Molly Corbett Broad, ACE president. “These survey findings indicate that the campaign message is taking hold and students are taking action.”
Additional Findings:
- Eighty-one percent (81%) of the students surveyed said they were very familiar or somewhat familiar with the courses needed for college, compared with 70 percent in 2007.
- When asked what they talked to adults about, 69 percent said they discussed being academically prepared to get to college, up a full 20 percentage points from 49 percent in 2007.
Now in its second year, the latest round of PSAs uses humor to stress the importance of taking tough classes like algebra II, biology and foreign languages. Again, the Ad Council research suggests that this message is resonating with middle and high school students:
- The percentage of 10th and 11th grade respondents who said they had taken algebra II increased dramatically from 51 percent in 2007 to 69 percent in 2009.
- In 2009, 93 percent of students said they’ve taken biology and 80 percent said they’ve taken a foreign language. (No comparison data exists for these two subject areas.)
Survey Methodology—Each January since 2007, the Ad Council has conducted national telephone surveys of 400 students in grades 8 through 11 whose parents did not attend college. Survey results have a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points.
DONATED MEDIA MILESTONE
The campaign has reached an impressive milestone. KnowHow2GO has surpassed the $120 million-mark in donated media support since its January 2007 launch, ranking it among the top-supported campaigns of the Ad Council’s 50 campaigns. KnowHow2GO received strong placement across all media including radio, cable TV and interactive media. All Ad Council PSAs air and run in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.
“The media’s commitment to supporting this campaign demonstrates that they recognize the importance of this issue and the high quality of the creative,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. “As a result of this support, in just two years, we have significantly increased the number of students who are taking the necessary steps to go to college.”
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS
The grassroots component of KnowHow2GO continues to be critical to its overall success. To date, 13 state and regional coalitions are part of the KnowHow2GO “on-the ground” network. Partners are promoting the campaign via local launches, appearances on local radio and TV outlets and community events. A few highlights include:
- KnowHow2GO Nebraska hosted a KnowHow2GO-themed event at a mall in Lincoln that provided 400 students and families with information on going to college. Miss Nebraska was on hand for the event.
- KnowHow2GO California hosts Early Commitment to College events in four local school districts. Thousands of students will make promises to themselves and their families to prepare for, attend and graduate from college.
- KnowHow2GO Kentucky launched the campaign at all public and private high schools in northern Kentucky in early February. They’ve also sponsored six summits at college campuses, hosting 300 to 500 students at each event.
- KnowHow2GO Wisconsin offers free test prep services on its web site and co-sponsored a video competition for students to celebrate Higher Education Day. The winners received college scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000.
- KnowHow2GO Tampa Bay was awarded an airtime grant from the primary cable company in the greater metropolitan area.
The U.S. Department of Education has also partnered with KnowHow2GO by printing millions of brochures in English and Spanish, as well as supporting inquiries from the public through its toll-free number (800) 433-3243.
WEB SITE SUCCESS
The award-winning KnowHow2GO web site continues to enjoy increased popularity among students and adults. This month, the campaign marked its one-millionth visit. Monthly visits to www.knowhow2go.org are up 42 percent from February 2008 to just over 30,000.
“In today’s ever-changing economy, postsecondary education is critical to individual—and to the nation’s success,” stated Merisotis. “We must continue to inform students of all ages about the academic, financial and other requirements for going to college so they are prepared. Our future depends on it.”
Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives.
Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based, private foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access to and success in education beyond high school. Through grants for research, innovation, communication and evaluation, as well as policy education and leadership development, Lumina Foundation addresses issues that affect access and educational attainment among all students, especially among students from low-income families, first-generation college-goers, minorities and working adults. The Foundation bases its mission on the belief that postsecondary education remains one of the most beneficial investments that individuals can make in themselves and that a society can make in its people.
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.
For more information, contact Dianna L. Boyce, Lumina Foundation, at 317.951.5116, Kellee Edmonds, American Council on Education, at 202.939.9368, or Ellyn Fisher, The Ad Council at 212.984.1964.
