Reaching Vulnerable Youth
Lessons learned from our “Gang Life Is No Life” campaign
Reaching youth in Canada with relevance and impact can be challenging. That task becomes even tougher when the target in question is marginalized Indigenous youth.
It was this objective, engaging marginalized at-risk youth, that was put before ChangeMakers when the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police asked us to develop a marketing campaign that would encourage at-risk youth in Manitoba to avoid gang membership or leave a gang entirely.
Audience research is often a critical starting point for informing campaign nuances. In this case, it became the bedrock of our marketing plan. ChangeMakers sought to immerse ourselves within this target demographic’s experiences to fully understand what, where, and how to convey our sensitive message.
That meant surveying a broad spectrum of individuals and groups. We spoke to gang prevention officers with the Winnipeg Police Service as well as staff members at The Link, a Winnipeg-based agency that works with marginalized youth and families daily.
Most importantly, we held intense interview sessions with reformed gang members. These streetwise interview participants gave honest and unfiltered answers as to how we might effectively connect with marginalized youth, as well as insights on what we might seek to avoid.
Through this stakeholder research, ChangeMakers’ Social Impact Consulting team arrived at the important understanding that striking the right tone would become a crucial element in our campaign communications. The difficulty in not coming across to youth as “lame” or “corny” can be a hurdle with youth marketing at the best of times. This nuance is magnified further when communicating an issue as fraught and intense as gang membership.
ChangeMakers’ media team examined content and media platforms that were popular among our target demographic and our creative team built the campaign messaging tailored to those digital venues. Additionally, we knew that our ads had to capture our audience’s attention within the first three seconds or else they would be missed.
Based on the insights gathered, we created three short videos that illustrated the vast difference between the myth and the reality of gang life. We employed a video game look and feel that was both relatable and shareable. A text number at the end of each video encouraged viewers to send a message to The Link which was monitored 24/7, offering a lifeline to those seeking help with either leaving gangs or resisting their solicitations.
Our choice of media platforms (TikTok and Snapchat) was perhaps the most important decision in our campaign planning. The campaign’s full-screen mobile video placements, which ran across these platforms, were central to engaging our niche audiences in an immediate and relatable way.
While tone and media were crucial elements in informing our content, subtle information about gang culture was also vital in helping us establish credibility. These insights included scenarios and recruitment tactics that gangs use, as well as the differences between male and female recruitment tactics.
In building the story, we knew our messaging needed to connect and build trust with marginalized youth. By further developing our understanding of their sentiment towards colonial institutions, including policing, we avoided branding our campaign messaging with overt police or law enforcement insignia. Instead, we partnered with The Link, which had already established trust and relevance with this audience. And finally, leaning on the important insights gathered, our messaging was careful to stress that we were in no way advocating “snitching” on existing gang organizations.
Results:
This campaign successfully generated a significant increase in responses from vulnerable youth.
Over the past three years, on average, assistance has been provided to between 20 to 30 youth annually. Following our “Gang Life Is No Life” media campaign, that number jumped to more than 150 referrals (a 600% increase) and conversations between The Link and youth in Manitoba continue each month.
Some Key Lessons Learned:
- Youth audiences require authentic messaging. It must feel real.
- Young people tire of familiar messaging quickly, so youth campaigns should avoid repetition or shorten their in-market periods
- Messages need to resonate quickly and early within digital media
- Campaigns involving marginalized youth are more effective when they examine and demonstrate accommodation for sentiment and cultural perceptions
- Ongoing analytics are critical to demonstrating campaign efficacy and value with stakeholders
About the Authors
Hilary Friesen / VP, Social Impact Consulting
Hilary is an established expert in fostering behavioural change for organizations large and small. Over more than 17 years, she has led social marketing programs in injury prevention and return to work and has overseen multi-faceted social impact communications programs for diverse public sector clients at ChangeMakers.
Varinder Brar / Director, Social Impact Consulting
Varinder is a Director with 15 years of experience in social impact marketing and communications. He lives in Winnipeg and when he’s not working you can find him coaching basketball at Sisler High School.
