The campaign is dedicated to helping consumers gain a greater awareness and understanding of the advantages of seeking help, and helping them identify when they might benefit from psychological help. To that end, the print, radio and television advertising will play an important role in reaching priority audiences in both national and local markets.

As part of the February 1996 launch, print ads have run in national publications such as Newsweek and Redbook, and all three types of ads have been placed in the campaign's two pilot cities, Denver, Colorado, and Hartford, Connecticut.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ADVERTISING

TARGET AUDIENCES

When placing advertising, it is important to carefully consider your target audiences to ensure that your advertising buy is efficient and effective.

The primary target for the advertising strategy is women between the ages of 25-55, and a secondary target of people who have health insurance. These target markets are based on the research which showed that women tend to be the primary health care decision-makers for households, and persons over 55 years of age are more likely to have an inherent barrier to utilizing mental health services. Since cost and insurance issues are a major concern, persons with adequate insurance coverage are an excellent target for the campaign.

ABOUT THE ADS

A series of three print ads, two sixty-second radio spots and one thirty-second television spot have been produced for the campaign. The ads concentrate on the three areas which focus group participants told us were of most concern to them: workplace stress, the mind/body connection, and families. Each ad encourages consumers to call the campaign's 800 number to receive the 'Talk to someone who can help' brochure. All callers are also provided the option of being connected to the state association nearest them for a referral to a psychologist in their area.

Copies of the print ads are included in the campaign kits. The radio and television spots are included on the campaign kit video for you to review and share with your committee members.

WHO CAN PLACE ADVERTISING?

Bringing campaign messages to communities throughout the nation is critical to the effort's overall success. Advertising plays a very important role in this endeavor. In addition to the APA, state and regional associations, local units, Divisions, and individual psychologists are all encouraged to raise funds to place local advertising in their respective communities.

HOW TO PLACE LOCAL ADVERTISING

Placing advertising is easy. A Campaign Service Bureau has been established by APA to assist you with developing a plan and placing media in your local market. The Bureau will negotiate the best placement rates possible, work with you to create a plan that will maximize exposure with your particular market, coordinate artwork and station duplications to the appropriate media outlets, and track overall placement to help measure the reach and success of the campaign.

Here's how the process will work:

1. You, or your committee's advertising chair, need to determine the amount of funding available for advertising placement in your local area.
2. Call the Campaign Services Bureau at 800-964-2000 to indicate your interest in placing media in your community.
3. Within a couple of days, a Bureau representative will contact you to review and discuss placement options for your local market.
4. Once you have approved a placement plan, an invoice will be forwarded to you by the Bureau for payment prior to the placement of the ads. (All print and electronic media require payment prior to running the ads.)
5. A written confirmation of your placement order will be forwarded to you once the media buy has been completed.

In order to get the most competitive prices available, the Bureau will place media in bulk every two months. All placement payments must be received by the cut-off dates listed, to ensure placement during the months outlined below.

A new schedule will be forwarded for 1997.