Montana Meth Project - Pepper Advertising

Our job in advertising is not all about increasing sales. There are public service ads that we do too. These tend to be generally quite matter-of-fact and dull. There are occasions though when a public service campaign “excites”. One such case is the Montana Meth Project launched in 2005 which targeted Meth use among teens in the state.

The campaign was shocking. It did not preach against using meth. The series of ads presented a graphic truth of how meth affects the user. This campaign greatly helped to lessen the social problem.

Here are the statistics before and after the campaign.

The Problem
As of September 2005 Montana was overwhelmed by methamphetamine abuse:

Montana ranked #5 in the nation for Meth abuse
50% of inmates were incarcerated for Meth
50% of foster-care admissions were Meth-related

The Campaign

As of September 2005, the Meth Project has sustained a large-scale, statewide prevention campaign spanning TV, radio, billboards, newspapers, and the Internet. This campaign includes:

83,500 TV ads
77,100 Radio ads
140,000 print impressions
2425 billboards

Impact

Montana Market Results since 2005:

Montana ranks #39 in the nation for Meth abuse
Teen Meth use has declined by 63%
Adult Meth use has declined by 72%
Meth-related crime has decreased by 62%

Due to the success in Montana, other states are buying into the campaign to deal with the problem in their area.

When I see stories like these, I feel good to be working in a business that has the power to positively impact society.
You can see more on the Montana Meth Project by visiting their site:
http://www.montanameth.org/View_Ads/print.php