Att 3o: Consumer Materials Testing Focus Group Guide

Form Approved

OMB No: 0920-xxxx

Exp. Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Development of CDC’s Act Against AIDS Social Marketing Campaigns Targeting Consumers

Attachment 3o: Consumer Materials Testing

Focus Group Guide

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Attachment 3o: Consumer Materials Testing Focus Group Guide

I. Welcome

Thank you for coming here today. Your participation is very important. I’m _______ and I’m from RTI, a non-profit research organization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sponsoring this research. The purpose of this focus group is to hear your views and opinions on important health topics concerning HIV/AIDS. Your insights are very important to us and your time today is appreciated. We will have about 1 hour for our discussion.

Before we begin, I want to review a few ground rules for our discussion.

• Most importantly, there are no right or wrong answers. We want to know your opinions and what you think about the issues we will be discussing. I do not work for the people who are sponsoring this research, so don’t hold back from giving me your honest opinions.

• You have probably noticed the microphones in the room. They are here because we are audio taping. I want to give you my full attention and not have to take a lot of notes. At the end of our discussion, I have to write a report and will refer to the tape when writing the report.

• Behind me is a one-way mirror. Some of the people working on this project are observing this discussion so that they can hear your opinions directly from you and take notes so that your opinions are accurately captured. However, your identity and anything you personally say here will remain secure to the extent allowable by law. Your name, address, and phone number, which only the facility knows, will not be given to anyone and no one will contact you after this focus group is over.

• There may be some sensitive questions asked during this discussion. If at any time you are uncomfortable with my questions, you can choose not to answer. Simply let me know that you prefer not to answer.

• Be sure to only use first names during the discussion. Please do not use your last name. Also, if you bring up a friend or other person you know as an example in our discussions, please do not use their last name either. So, whenever you mention a name, it should only be a first name and never a last name.

• Please turn your cell phone or beeper to vibrate or silent mode. The focus group will last no more than 1 ½ hours.

• If you need to go to the restroom during the discussion, please feel free to leave, but please return as soon as possible.

• Do you have any questions before we begin?

II. Warm-up

Before we begin our discussion, let’s spend a little time getting to know one another.

1. Please tell me your first name and an interesting fact about yourself.

III. Ad Mock-Ups

Facilitator will show one mock-up at a time, explaining to participants that these are meant to be [INSERT MEDIUM] in their neighborhoods. Ask same questions for each board.

1. Looking at the image, would you say it fits in with what the ad is trying to convey?

2. What is the main message of this illustration? What does it tell you?

3. Picturing this image on a poster, brochure, print ad, or other material, how likely is it that an image like this will help draw your attention and curiosity? Can you think of other images that might convey this idea better?

Assessing Accuracy & Clarity of Message

5. What does this ad say to you?

6. Is the message clear and easy to understand? Is it confusing? What about the ad is confusing or difficult to understand?

7. What does it the ad make you want to do, if anything?

• After seeing this ad, do you think you would be more likely to [call the toll-free phone number, check out the website, etc.] to learn about [insert topic]?

  • [If yes] What part of this makes you want to [call the toll-free phone number, check out the website, etc.]?

  • [If no] Why not?

[Ask only for boards with headlines]

8. What do you think of the headline?

9. What do you think of the graphic and/or picture that is part of this board?

• What does it make you think of?

• Can you relate to it? If no, what would make it more relatable?

• Does the graphic and/or picture go with the headline on the board? Why or Why not?

10. Is there anything in particular that you would change about this board? What would you change?

11. Is one board more likely than another to get your attention?

• [If yes] What is it about that one that “works” for or speaks to you (or someone else you care for or take care of, such as a spouse/partner, child, parent, relative, or friend)?

12. What could be changed to make it more effective?

[After seeing each of the (insert #) boards]

I am now going to give you handing out a sheet of paper that I would like you to use to indicate which of the [insert #] boards you liked the most and the least. There are two boxes on this sheet of paper. At the top of the paper is a box for the one you like the most and at the bottom is a box for the one you like the least. Please mark in those boxes the letter for the board that best fits that box.

13. Which of the [insert #] boards did you like most? What did you like most about that board?

• Which board did you like the least? What about this board do you not like?

14. I am now handing out a sheet of paper that I would like you to use to rate the boards from 1(terrible) to 10 (fantastic). The names of the [insert #] boards are written on the paper. Which of the [insert #] boards did you rate the highest?

• What do you like about it?

• Which did you rate the lowest? Why?

15. If you saw this advertisement and wanted to find out where you could get more information about [insert topic] in your area, would you prefer to [call a toll-free number, visit a Web site, etc.]?

IV. Campaign Name and Logo Testing

Facilitator will show participants one logo/name combination at a time, explaining that these would go with materials used as part of a campaign, such as billboards, print ads, and brochures, while holding up an ad mock-up and demonstrating where the logo would be placed. The following questions will be repeated for each name/logo.

Now I would like you to look at some potential names and logos. The names and logos would be used with materials to [insert prevention strategy]. We will look at these one at a time.

16. How would you sum up in just a few words your first impression of this name/logo? Do you like it? Not like it? What makes you say that?

17. What do you think of the name used here for the campaign? Point to campaign name

• Does it make sense to you?

• Does it fit with the concepts/ideas we just talked about?

18. How about the logo, what thoughts do you have about it? Point to logo

• What does it make you think of or remind you of?

• Do you think it fits with this campaign name?

19. Is there anything about the name and logo that you especially like? Don’t like?

• Did anything seem unclear?

• Is there anything about this name and logo that you object to or that you think others might find offensive?

After showing participants all [INSERT NUMBER] logos individually, facilitator will ask participants to rank their favorite using a tally sheet.

I am now handing out a sheet of paper that I would like you to use to indicate which of the [INSERT NUMBER] names/logos you liked the most and the least. There are two boxes on this sheet of paper. At the top of the paper is a box for the one you like the most and at the bottom is a box for the one you like the least. Please mark in those boxes the letter for the board that best fits that box.

20. Which of the names and logos do you like most? What do you like most about that one?

21. Which do you like the least? What about this one do you not like?

22. I am now handing out a sheet of paper that I would like you to use to rate the names/logos from 1(terrible) to 10 (fantastic). The [insert number] names/logos are written on the paper.

• Which of the [insert number] names/logos did you rate the highest? What do you like about it?

• Which did you rate the lowest? What makes you say that?

V. Radio Messages

Next, I would like you to listen to some sample radio advertisements that are being developed as part of the campaign we have been discussing. These ads are not quite final. For example, the actors are not guaranteed to be the same actors in the final ads. I welcome all of your feedback to the ads, but in some cases, I may ask you to focus on the concept of the radio ad. I am going to play each radio ad once for you and then ask you some questions about it immediately after listening to it.

Okay, please listen.

Facilitator will play the radio ads, randomizing the order for each IDI. The following questions will be repeated for each radio message.

Assessing Accuracy, Clarity & Recall of Message

23. What are your first thoughts after hearing this ad?

• How did it make you feel?

24. What do you remember best about this radio ad? Was there anything that stood out most to you in this radio ad?

• What did you like most about it?

• Was there anything about it that you didn’t like? What?

25. What do you think this radio ad is asking you to do?

• Does it make you want to do anything specific?

  • [If yes] What part of this makes you want to [insert action from above]?

• [If mentioned in ad] Can you remember the toll-free number? What about the Web site? What about the [insert other resource]?

Appeal

26. How did you feel about the way this ad presented the information? Its style? Tone?

• [Add specific probes once radio ad is recorded]

• [More specific probes added as needed when final number of ads and their content is finalized]

27. Do you have any suggestions for making this a better radio message? If yes, what are they?

After listening to all of the radio messages

I am now handing out a sheet of paper that I would like you to use to indicate which of the [insert #] radio ads you liked the most and the least. The names of the radio ads are written there. Please number the ad you like to the most with a 1 and the next most with a 2, and finally mark your least favorite with a [insert last #].

28. Which of the [insert #] radio messages do you like most? What do you like about it?

29. Which do you like the least? What makes you say that?

30. I am now handing out a sheet of paper that I would like you to use to rate the radio messages you just heard from 1(terrible) to 10 (fantastic). The names of the [insert #] radio ads are written on the paper.

• Which of the [insert #] radio message did you rate the highest? What do you like about that message?

• Which did you rate the lowest? What do you dislike about this message?

VI. Exploring Campaign Strategies

Now, let’s talk a little about how we can best deliver information on [insert topic] to individuals (someone) like yourself.

Radio & Outdoor

31. How do you typically find out about things going on in your community?

• Radio

• TV news

• Newspaper

• Online [specify sources]

• Billboards/signs

• Transit ads

• Other

32. How often do you listen to the radio?

• Where do you listen to the radio? E.g., home, work, car, etc.

• What are your favorite radio stations?

33. Do you use public transportation (e.g., buses, trains, etc.)?

• How often?

• What do you do while you are on the [bus, train, etc.]?

• Do you remember ads that you have seen there in the past?

34. What types of outdoor ads have you seen in the past week?

• Type—billboard, transit signs, etc.

• What were they about?

• What is it about those ads that stood out to you?

• What kinds of outdoor ads are likely to catch your attention?

Hangout Spots & Free Time

35. Besides work and home, where do you spend most of your free time? (E.g., malls, movies, bars, dance clubs, etc.)

• Where are these places located (e.g., in what neighborhoods, areas of town, on what streets)?

36. How often do you go to the movies?

• What types of movies do you enjoy seeing?

• Do you usually go early, just when the movie begins, or just after the movie begins?

• What specific theaters do you typically go to?

• What do you think about an ad playing on the screen before the movie about [insert topic]?

Community Events & Giveaways

37. What kinds of community or neighborhood events have occurred in the last year that you know of?

• Which ones did you attend?

• What did you like about them?

• What kinds of activities took place at the events?

• What was the focus/theme?

• What keeps you from attending events like this?

38. If you were to create an ideal event or fair in your community, what would it include?

• Live music

• Food

• Health services

• Prize giveaways and games

• Other

39. What type of free giveaways would you like to receive at community events

• T-shirts

• Cell phone accessories, such as hipsters or hands-free kits

• CD cases

• Magnets

• Coin pouches/wallets

• Journals/notebooks

• Other

Local Figures

40. Can you name a person or persons in this city who you trust or respect?

• What do you like or respect about [him/her/them]?

VII. Wrap-Up

After all that we have talked about today, I have a few final questions.

41. Are you more or less likely now to [insert prevention strategy]? What makes you say that?

42. What would motivate you to want to [insert prevention strategy]?

43. Where do you get your information about HIV/AIDS? (E.g., media, family, friends, church, etc.)

44. Is HIV/AIDS a topic on which you seek out information? If so, how?

• What type of information do you look for?

• Where might you find this information?

• Where would you turn first for information?

45. Those are all of the questions I have, but before we end, do you have any closing thoughts or opinions you would like to share? Any questions?

VIII. Closing

Ok, we are pretty much out of time.

Excuse me for one moment while I see if the people observing have any questions that I have not asked. I will be right back.

Thank you for your participation. There is a brochure for you to take with you if you would like. It has information about HIV/AIDS and locations where you can get further information. Have a good day/evening.

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