Recall of the television advertising climbed over the 3.5 years of the fully implemented
campaign, reaching 51 percent among parents and 52 among youth. Both groups reported
substantial recognition of the Campaign’s “anti-drug” brand phrases. These early signs of
success, however, were limited to increased awareness.
Evidence consistent with a favorable campaign effect on parents did continue throughout
the Campaign, specifically for talking with children about drugs, doing fun activities with
children, and beliefs about monitoring children. Evidence about changes in parents’ monitoring
behavior, however, proved much weaker. No evidence was found for favorable indirect effects
on youth behavior or beliefs as the result of parents’ exposure to the Campaign.
Little evidence of direct favorable Campaign effects on youth was found. For the primary
audience of 14- to 16-year olds, past-year drug use increased from 2000 through 2003. Youth
who were more exposed to the Campaign messages were no more likely to hold favorable beliefs
or intentions about marijuana than youth less exposed to those messages over the entire course of
the Campaign.