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Reactions to the Shared Values Initiative

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In the fall of 2001, the State Dept., led by Undersecretary of State and former ... Al-Jazeera and other Arab countries refuse to run the spots. Jan. 16, 2003 ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Reactions to the Shared Values Initiative


1
Reactions to theShared Values Initiative
  • Alice Kendrick, Ph.D.
  • Southern Methodist University
  • and
  • Jami A. Fullerton, Ph.D.
  • Oklahoma State University

2
Overview
  • In the fall of 2001, the State Dept., led by
    Undersecretary of State and former ad executive
    Charlotte Beers, launched a first-of-its kind
    television ad campaign in the Middle East
    featuring the happy lives of American Muslims.
    The ads were part of the U.S. governments
    Shared Values Initiative.

3
Shared Values Initiative
  • Post 9/11 public diplomacy campaign
  • Targeted predominantly Muslim countries
  • Attempts to convince the Muslim world not to
    hate us
  • Consists of numerous communication elements
    including TV spots
  • 15 million budget

4
The Spots
  • 5 spots in the campaign
  • Termed mini documentaries by DOS
  • Produced by McCann-Erickson Ad Agency
  • Testimonial-style commercials featuring
    slice-of-life treatments of prosperous Muslim
    Americans in various professional and personal
    roles

5
Shared Values Initiative
  • First time that the U.S. purchased international
    broadcast time to run a public diplomacy message
  • Used TV to reach the people
  • The media plan was cut short
  • Spots ran only in Pakistan, Malaysia,Indonesia
    and Kuwait. Some satellite spill-out in Jordan,
    Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE

6
Show the Spots
  • Baker
  • Doctor
  • School Teacher
  • Journalist
  • Firefighter

7
Timeline
  • Oct. 29, 2002
  • television ad campaign launches in Indonesia to
    coincide with Ramadan
  • Al-Jazeera and other Arab countries refuse to run
    the spots
  • Jan. 16, 2003
  • Washington Post reports that the campaign was
    suspended because it failed
  • Beers tells CNN that campaign would continue

8
Timeline
  • Feb. 3, 2003
  • DOS reports that ads stopped running in Dec. and
    were being revised
  • March 2003
  • Beers resigns for health reasons
  • Since March 2003
  • Media, Congress and administration criticize
    Beers and distance themselves from the ad campaign

9
Target Audience
  • The People in countries with high Muslim
    populations
  • Beers cited the importance of reaching women -
    mothers and teachers

10
Effects Evaluation
  • Media reports at home and abroad generally
    negative
  • considered a propaganda tool
  • Beers said it was successful because it started
    a dialogue
  • CNN and WSJ said it failed to register with
    Muslim audience and was prevented from airing in
    most countries
  • Criticized for not explaining U.S. policy

11
Effects Evaluation
  • No formal quantitative evaluation made public

12
Research Questions
  • Attitudes toward the U.S. government
  • Attitudes toward U.S. people
  • Attitudes toward how Muslims are treated in
    America
  • Believability of commercials
  • Appropriateness and helpfulness the U.S. to run
    the commercials
  • Perceived effectiveness of the commercials
  • Main message, first impressions, likes and
    dislikes
  • Subgroup analyses

13
Method
  • Pre/post experimental design
  • Traditional advertising copy test

14
Method
  • Paper and pencil questionnaire (including
    pre-test)
  • Viewing of Shared Values Initiative commercials
  • Remainder of the questionnaire (including
    post-test)

15
Sample
  • 105 international students
  • Regents College
  • London, England
  • July 2003

16
Questionnaire
  • Dependent variables
  • attitude toward U.S. government
  • attitude toward U.S. people
  • treatment of Muslims

17
Questionnaire
  • Copy test questions
  • first impression
  • main message
  • liked most/least
  • believability
  • effectiveness
  • appropriateness
  • confusing elements
  • persuasion

18
Findings
  • Respondent Profile
  • 54 female 46 male
  • average age 22
  • English was native language of 7
  • 58 spoke English fluently

19
Findings
  • Respondent Profile
  • 25 different countries
  • 70 European
  • 2/3 know someone in the U.S.
  • Half have regular email contact with the U.S.
  • 97 said they would like to visit the U.S.

20
Findings
  • Pre- v. Post-Attitudes toward the
  • U.S. Government and U.S. People
  • Favorability scale of 1-4
  • 4 most favorable

21
Pre/Post Attitudes
  • U.S. Government
  • more positive after the videos
  • mean 1.86 v. 2.05
  • Christians and not religious remained negative
  • Muslims and other religions improved

22
Pre/Post Attitudes
  • U.S. People
  • not statistically significant
  • women more favorable than men
  • Europeans less favorable

23
Pre/Post Attitudes
  • Attitudes Toward Treatment of Muslims
  • Stronger agreement after videos
  • Mean 2.82 v. 3.14
  • Primary communication objective was met

24
First Impressions
  • Most frequent first reactions disbelief and
    skepticism
  • Focus on aspects of U.S. image America on its
    best behavior
  • Intended main message registered among 12

25
Main Message
  • Most (59.8) involved U.S. image
  • One-third Muslims living freely and happily in
    the U.S.
  • One-half of main message registrations were
    Muslim-related

26
Believability of Commercials
  • Fewer than half considered them believable
  • Doubt that the videos would be considered
    credible among target
  • 64 found elements confusing or hard to believe
  • One-sided nature objectionable
  • Europeans judged less believable
  • Christians and not religious judged less
    believable

27
Appropriateness of Commercials
  • Students divided on appropriateness of strategy
  • One-third agreed appropriate and helpful
  • Europeans less appropriate and helpful
  • Muslims and other more appropriate and helpful

28
Perceived Effectiveness of Commercials
  • Half said videos an effective tool for Muslim
    countries
  • Women agreed more strongly
  • Those who had visited U.S. or fluent in English
    less likely to agree

29
Elements Liked and Disliked
  • One-fourth said they liked nothing
  • Likes overall objective and friendly style
    and tone
  • Likes information content (15.6) specific
    information about Muslims (15.6).
  • Dislikes lack of believability (70.4)
  • Few comments about specific executional elements

30
Implications/Recommendations
  • SVI approach achieved its objectives
  • Mass media may be an appropriate method to
    communicate with audiences in the Middle East
  • Need to address erosion of attitude toward
    America in Westernized countries

31
Implications/Recommendations
  • Concept testing and pre-testing should be used
    before spots are aired
  • Message strategy should be altered
  • Avoid travel video appeal

32
Implications/Recommendations
  • Messages should be less one-sided
  • May not be perceived as propaganda
  • More likely to persuade and inoculate

33
Implications/Recommendations
  • Using two-step flow theory of mass communication
  • Mass media messages are filtered through friends,
    family church
  • Target communication to opinion leaders in the
    community, especially clerics

34
First Impression Table 1
35
Main Message Table 2
36
Most Liked Elements Table 3
37
Most Disliked Elements Table 4
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