OMB Control No. 2127-0667
Expiration Date 10/31/2013
MODERATOR’S GUIDE FOR FOCUS GROUPS
A COMBINED MESSAGE RELATED TO SPEEDING,
SEAT BELT USE AND IMPAIRED DRIVING
Generic Clearance OMB# 2127-0667
NOTE TO MODERATOR: When group is fully assembled, read:
This focus group is being conducted to collect information that will help us better
understand your opinions about an important highway safety issue.
This collection of information is VOLUNTARY and will be used for formative purposes only so that we may develop and evaluate programs designed to reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and deaths. We will not collect any personal information that would allow anyone to identify you. A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2127-0667. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 95 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E., Washington, DC, 20590
Additional note to moderator:
Assure participants that their responses will be used only for this particular focus group study
Disclose presence of observers and video-recording (in lieu of “note taking”)
“Warm-up” discussion topic:
What is the one thing about other drivers that annoys you the most?
Probe for brief explanation if response is just a few words
Transition to discussion about taglines. It may help respondents understand what taglines are by referring to them as “slogans.” Mention that some may be familiar, others may not. Show each of them one-at-a-time (use board with the tagline as a visual aid). Show and discuss each of the existing/previously-used taglines first (the first two in the following list); then, show/discuss each of the combined messaging HVE taglines (numbers 3-10 in the following list). When showing/discussing taglines numbers 3-10, randomly sort the order in which they are shown/discussed among the eight different groups, so no particular tagline is always shown first and another always shown last.
Taglines to be shown on boards and discussed, one at a time:
Click It or Ticket.
Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.
COMMENT TO MODERATOR FOR GENERAL INFORMATION: The discussion of the two taglines above is simply to get the participants in the mindset of commenting on taglines. Because one or both of the taglines above will be readily recognized by participants, it will be somewhat easy for them to comment on them. However, the eight taglines below have never been used, so the participants will not have the benefit of having seen advertising or other materials using the taglines.
Day and night, flashing lights. The crackdown is on.
Drive right or face the lights.
Drive by the law or stop for the cop.
Every driving violation gets a citation.
Beware. Cops are everywhere.
Drive safe or get busted.
Flashing lights. Every day. Every night. Drive right.
More cops. More stops.
For each of the ten taglines (one at a time), questions and probes:
When you read or hear this slogan, what images come to your mind? Or what is the first thing you think of?
What do you like about this slogan?
What do you not like about this slogan?
How would you restate its main message?
If an advertising sponsor used this slogan in its ads to get drivers to (description of objective for line), in what ways would it be a good slogan to use?
After all ten taglines have been shown and discussed, hand out sheet of paper with list of all eight combined messaging HVE taglines (see page 4 for reference).
Among these eight slogans, which one do you think is the best line in terms of it leading people to believe that cops are stepping up enforcement to catch drivers who are disobeying traffic safety laws?
Instruct group members to independently mark or circle the one tagline he thinks is best. After all participants have been observed to finish making selections, poll the group; then probe each group member for reasons he chose his particular tagline.
(Hand out for each group member to independently select the one slogan he thinks is most effective)
Among these slogan ideas, which one do you think is the best, in terms of it leading people to think that cops are stepping up enforcement to catch drivers who are disobeying traffic safety laws?
Day and night, flashing lights. The crackdown is on.
Drive right or face the lights.
Drive by the law or stop for the cop.
Every driving violation gets a citation.
Beware. Cops are everywhere.
Drive safe or get busted.
Flashing lights. Every day. Every night. Drive right.
More cops. More stops.
If any one or more taglines is/are chosen from the written exercise by three or more participants, ask these questions for each of those taglines:
How easily understood do you think it is?
How unique and original is it?
How easy would it be for people to remember?
How assertive is it?
noteS to moderator:
Transition to discussion about advertising ideas.
Explain that the group will view three TV commercials dealing with traffic safety.
Explain the animatics format of the commercials. Emphasize the point that the commercial in final form will not be animated.
To help respondents “calibrate” their minds for how the animatics version and final commercial are related, show an example; use “Stuck With a Ticket” animatics and final commercial. Explain that these are just examples.
After showing demos, remind group that they’ll see three different animatics spots that deal with other traffic safety issues.
Hand-out first of three notes sheets (see next page for reference), and direct participants to briefly note their thoughts about each commercial after it has been shown, i.e., what they like, don’t like, main thing(s) they thought about or remembered while seeing it, and a grade.
Show first commercial. Commercials will be titled* simply “A,” “B” and “C” to minimize any bias the commercials’ names might lend. Order of presentation will be changed for each group, also to minimize bias. After first showing of each commercial, stop DVD for the participants’ quick notes, then discussion.
* “xxx” will be titled “A”
“xxx” will be titled “B”
“xxx” will be titled “C”
(Hand out for each group member to independently comment on each commercial after it’s shown the first time)
Notes for commercial “A” (same sheets will be prepared and distributed for commercials “B” and “C”)
Things you especially like about this commercial
Things you don’t like about this commercial
The main thing that sticks out in your mind
Grade it. If the main message is, “Watch out! Cops are stepping up enforcement of traffic safety laws, such as speeding, seat belt use and drunk driving.” --- give it a grade of A, B, C, D or F:
Who graded this “A?” “B?” --- Etc. for all grades
For each of the highest and lowest grades, probe for reasons why
If commercial gets high grades from most participants, probe those who graded it “B” or “C” relative to, “What would need to be done to the commercial so that you might give it a higher grade?”
Obviously, the commercial’s main message is to warn people that police are stepping up enforcement of traffic safety laws. What one or two things in the commercial help convey that message?
What one or two things in this commercial really stick out in your mind?
Does the commercial remind you of anything you’ve seen or heard before?
What other thoughts do you have about it?
Assume the main message in the commercial is that people who disobey traffic safety laws -- such as speeding, seat belt use and drunk driving -- are going to be more likely to get a ticket because enforcement is being stepped up. How clear is that message in this commercial?
Again, consider the situation where police at both the local and state levels really step up enforcement of traffic safety laws. Which one of these three commercials would work best to promote that message? (probe for reasons/explanations)
(If time permits, check with observers for additional questions)
NHTSA
Form 1141 Page
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Steve Richardson |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-02-01 |