Georgia County-Level Marketing Campaign Market Research Report August 15, 2023

We present our recent report conducted by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) in partenrship with Lexicon Strategies, detailing the findings of a two-county 988 marketing campaign in Georgia’s Dougherty and Coweta counties. Despite generating over 4,251,000 impressions through various advertising mediums, a direct link between the marketing efforts and a tangible increase in the awareness or use of the 988 dialing code was not observed.

The research involved a comparative analysis of GCAL call/episode volume year over year, and awareness surveys administered before and after the campaign. Unfortunately, the results remain inconclusive in pinpointing the specific impacts of the marketing campaign on the observed outcomes. This makes common sense as well. Awareness of 988 must meet a need for 988 services to impact demand.

We invite you to review the executive summary below for a concise overview of the study's key findings and to gain insights into the existing awareness levels of the 988 program in these areas. You can also find additional Statewide Awareness Level Reports here.

Executive Summary

Executive Summary

This report presents the findings of market research conducted by Lexicon Strategies in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) to assess the impact of a two-county 988 marketing campaign to evaluate any direct and immediate impact that might occur from elevated marketing efforts in the counties. The research consisted of two main components: comparing GCAL call/episode volume year over year for the months before and after the marketing period and conducting an awareness survey before and after the campaign.

The marketing campaign, developed by Lexicon Strategies and Authenticity Partners, targeted Dougherty and Coweta counties, exposing residents to 988 messaging through streaming radio and podcast ads, television ads, digital display ads, outdoor billboards, and social media ads. The campaign's goal was to increase awareness and understanding of 988 in these communities. The marketing efforts generated over 4,251,000 impressions.

DBHDD provided de-identified and aggregated data summaries for April (before marketing), May (during the campaign), and June (after the campaign) for Dougherty and Coweta counties, measuring the number of episodes, mobile crisis dispatches, calls requiring active rescue completed mobile crisis assessments and referrals to CSUs and BHCCs. The analysis also included data from two non-marketing counties, Bibb and Houston, with similar size, population, and county type as the marketing counties, as well as year-over-year data for all four counties during the same period. The goal was to determine the marketing campaign's effects on volume in the areas.

No meaningful connection between increased marketing efforts and an increase in demand for services was found.

Awareness Survey Overview

We administered one, voluntary 12-question survey in all four counties in May 2023 (pre-marketing) and one in July 2023 (post-marketing). Survey participants were recruited by SurveyMonkey for each county, and were paid for their participation. The survey was conducted in English and was demographically balanced as much as possible within each county. Demographics across all four counties are similar.

Due to the limited population size in these counties and a smaller pool of available participants, the total sample sizes were smaller than the intended target. The pre-survey received responses from a total of 272 participants across all four counties, while the post-survey received 287 responses. In the marketing counties, the survey results indicated positive awareness levels of the 988 dialing code, along with correct identification of its function and confidence in usage. However, despite these positive outcomes, it is challenging to establish a direct link between the marketing campaign and the observed increases in these areas.

The survey consisted of two different groups of respondents at a specific point in time, making it difficult to attribute any changes solely to the marketing campaign. While the findings demonstrate favorable responses to the service, further investigation and data triangulation will be necessary to pinpoint the specific impact of the marketing efforts on the observed outcomes.

The survey results from Coweta and Dougherty counties and the YOY GCAL comparisons are inconclusive in establishing a direct link between marketing efforts and changes in volume or awareness of the 988 program.

Key Findings:

• Finding 1: Overall awareness of 988 is increasing over time

• Finding 2: Once people are aware of the dialing code and its function, they are confident in when to use it vs. 9-1-1

• Finding 3: Different age groups received information about 988 from different sources. This information can be used to target marketing types to different groups.

• Finding 4: Newscasts, social media, and billboards appear to offer broader county and cross-county coverage, so economies of scale can be implemented and cost per reach potentially reduced.

• Finding 5: Both of the marketing counties and one of the non-marketing counties experienced the same pattern in GCAL volume between April and June in the years 2021-2023. This pattern indicated a small spike in May and a decrease in June regarding the number of episodes, completed mobile crisis assessments, and referrals to BHCCs across all years.