3. Background
The GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey in 2007
• 9 out of 10 LGBT students reported being harassed at school
• 70% of LGBT students heard homophobic language: “faggot” “dyke”
• 90% of LGBT students heard the word “gay” used in a negative context
frequently at school.
• LGBT students suffer from both emotional and academic problems:
low self-esteem, loneliness, depression, poor academic achievement, and
high rates of truancy.
* LGBT = Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
* GLSEN = Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
4. Purpose & Focus
The leading national education organization, focused on
ensuring safe schools for all students
In 2008, GLSEN developed a social marketing plan “Think
Before You Speak” Campaign
A Purpose to decrease the use of homophobic language
with a focus on raising awareness about this issue and
reducing the use of anti-LGBT language among teenagers.
5. SWOT Analysis
Strengths
• Supports by many multinational companies
(AT&T, CBS Television Network, Fox TV, IBM, Sony Picture)
• Multiple campaigns every year through grants
Weaknesses
• The nature of the cause itself (emotional issue)
• The lack of tangible products or positive reinforcement
• Difficulty to measure the effectiveness of the campaign
6. SWOT Analysis (cont’)
Threats
• The disagreement with educating people about LGBT
issues from some family members, media, churches, or
communities
• The idea of heterosexual relationship in America
Opportunities
• Positive attitude of government, society and many other
organizations
• “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy repealed by the government
• Same-sex marriage ( Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa,
New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington D,C.)
7. Target Market
• The primary targets
The teenagers who conduct either intentional or
accidental harassment (verbal or physical) to LGBT
students
• The secondary targets
The rest of the students
• The third targets
The parents and educators who have the ability to
influence teenagers’ behaviors.
8. Marketing Objectives
1. To raise awareness among straight teenagers about the
seriousness of anti-LGBT language bias and behavior
2. To raise the belief of “anti-LGBT language is harmful” among
straight teenagers
3. To reduce and prevent the use of homophobic language
4. To gain supports from adults (school personnel and parents)
To provide a safe environment for all members in the
community regardless of sexual orientation or gender
identity/expression
9. Target Market Barriers
• Individual barriers
• The lack of knowledge for language harassment
• Low sense of responsibility for what they say
• Negative social interactions tend to have more
potent effects on individual’s self-esteem
• Environmental & cultural barriers
• School, media, parents and peers
• Resistance and opposition from various parties
10. Target Market Benefits
• Perceived benefits
• Avoid shameful feelings
• Raise self-esteem on taking responsibility of
what they say
11. Competition
• Media
• Peers
• Parents
• Any sources that will influence teen’s language or
attitude toward LGBT students
12. Product
• Core product
– To avoid shameful feeling by not saying
homophobic language
– To be responsible for what they say
• Actual product
– To decrease the use of homophobic language at
school and in public
• Augmented product
– Interactive official website
– Educator’s guide
13. Price
• Monetary cost
– None
• Non-Monetary disincentive
– To shame the target audiences into using anti-
LGBT language
14. Place
• At school
• In the public
• Through Internet, such as social network
sites
15. Promotion
• TV commercial
• Print Ads
• Radio
• Internet
– Official interactive website
• Sign the pledge
• Share the story &video
• Send E-card
– Social network sites
20. Promotion (cont’d)
• Internet
• Official interactive website
• Sign the pledge
• Share the story & video
• Send E-card
• Social network sites
• .
• Real-time counting on Twitter
21. Partnership
Ad council
Donate media model
media company including MTV donate space and
advertising time
ArnoldNYC ads agency
Donate ads run in the campaign
Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Students Against
Destructive Decisions (SADD)
Facilitate the education process
22. Evaluation
90%
86.2%
84.6%
85%
80%
75% 73.6% 72.4%
70% 2007
65% 2009
LGBT students LGBT students heard
reported being verbally derogatory remarks
harassedory such as "faggot" or
"dyke" frequently or
often at school
*Based on National Climate Survey conducted in middle and high school
23. Evaluation
50% 44.1%
45% 40.1%
40%
35%
30% 22.1%
25% 18.8%
20%
15%
10%
5% 2007
0%
2009
LGBT students LGBT students
reported being reported being
physically harassed physically assaulted at
school in the past year
because of their sexual
orientation.
*Based on National Climate Survey conducted in middle and high school
