Nutrition Facts Label Campaign Focus Groups (Formative Research and Stimulus Testing)

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Nutrition Facts Label Education Focus Groups: Message Testing Phase

Appendix II: Moderator’s Guide

Purpose of stimuli:

Handout: Educate consumers on changes to NFL

• increase understanding of elements of the new NFL

  • encourage consumers to use the new NFL more often

  • encourage consumers to visit FDA website to learn more about the NFL

Video Scripts; Social Media Posts; Print/Digital Ads: Catch consumers’ attention

• increase awareness of the new NFL

  • encourage consumers to use the new NFL more often

  • encourage consumers to visit FDA website to learn more about the NFL

NOTE TO MODERATOR: PRIOR TO START OF GROUP WRITE ON EASEL IN THE ROOM AND THEN COVER UP UNTIL AFTER YOU SHOW THE ADS.

CIRCLE words, phrases, or images you like.

CROSS OUT words, phrases, or images you don’t like.

QUESTION MARKS on things you find confusing or where you have questions.

ADD other comments if you wish

Introduction (5 minutes)

Thanks for joining us today. I’m _____, and I’m from RTI International. We’re a non-profit research organization based in North Carolina. We are conducting these discussions on behalf of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (also known as FDA). We are holding discussions around the country about how to best raise people’s awareness about the new Nutrition Facts label. The Nutrition Facts label is a table with nutrition information typically found on the side or back of a food package. The FDA recently updated the requirements for the Nutrition Facts label, and all products will be required to have the new label soon. This is what the new label looks like, compared to what it was before. [SHOW HANDOUT OF TWO LABELS.] Some products are using the new label already. Your opinions are very important to us and your time today is appreciated. We will have about 90 minutes for our discussion.

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

• As mentioned on the consent form, we are audio and video recording this conversation so that I can give you my full attention and not have to take a lot of notes. In addition, I have a colleague behind the one-way mirror listening to our conversation to take notes so that your opinions are accurately captured. Some project staff who are unable to attend in person may watch the discussions either from the video recording or in real time as we stream our discussion through a password-protected site. When writing up our findings, we will not include any information that could identify you. Your name, address, and phone number will not be given to anyone, and no one will contact you about this discussion after this group is over.

• Everyone’s participation is important; we want to hear from everybody.

• We’re not looking for consensus here, so it is OK to disagree with each other.

• Please speak up (speak loudly).

• Please speak one at a time so we can hear all the responses – no side conversations.

• We ask that you only use first names when addressing others or referring to yourself or others in your life. Also, we ask that you respect each other’s privacy and do not share what is said in the group once it is over.

• Please turn off your cell phones or anything else that may make it difficult to concentrate.

• If at any point you feel uncomfortable with my questions, simply let me know that you prefer not to answer.

• Your participation is voluntary. You can leave at any point in the discussion. There’s no penalty to you for doing so.

• There are no right or wrong answers in today’s discussion. We want to know your honest opinions and experiences.

• Do you have any questions before we begin?

Warm-Up (5-8 min)

NOTE TO MODERATOR: KEEP WARM-UP BRIEF.

Thanks again for being here.

• To start, let’s go around the room and say your first name and what you would be doing if you weren’t here tonight.

• Everyone here is a main decision-maker in their household when it comes to buying food. All of you have also used the Nutrition Facts label before.

  • What kind of information on the label do you typically look for?

Handout (20 mins)

Let’s get started. I’m passing around a quick handout about the new Nutrition Facts label. Please spend some time to read the handout to yourself. As you’re reading, feel free to mark up your handouts: CIRCLE words, phrases, or images you like; CROSS OUT words, phrases, or images you don’t like; add QUESTION MARKS on things you find confusing. You are also welcomed to write other comments on these handouts. I’ll post these instructions up on the wall for you to refer to as you’re marking up your handouts. [REVEAL INSTRUCTIONS ON FLIP CHART].

One more note: The updated label has already been designed and finalized, so we ask that you focus your attention on information ABOUT the label, but not on changes you’d like made to the label itself. I also want to mention that the Nutrition Facts labels that you see here are just placeholder, generic labels.

Does anyone have any questions so far?

Okay, let’s get started.

1. What is your immediate reaction to this handout?

   1. PROBE: What do you like?

   2. PROBE: What do you not like?

2. What do you think the main message of this handout is?

3. How relevant, if at all, is this handout for you? [Does it interest you personally?]

   1. [IF NOT AT ALL] What would make it more relevant for you?

4. What is the most important piece of information for you personally?

   1. What might you do with this information?

   2. How, if at all, would this influence your packaged food/beverage decisions?

5. What do you think of the 5% and 20% guidelines in the gray box on the last page?

6. How credible/trustworthy is this handout?

   1. [IF VERY] What makes it credible?

   2. [IF NOT AT ALL/NOT VERY] What would make it more credible?

7. Is there anything confusing to you?

8. Is there anything else you would like to know that isn’t included on this handout?

   1. If yes, where would you go for this additional information?

   2. Probe: At the bottom of the handout, there is a website: www.FDA.gov. How likely is it that you would visit this website if you had questions on the Nutrition Facts label?

Video Scripts (20-30 minutes)

Next, I’ll pass around, one at a time, a script and sketched image for 4 different 30-second videos. Imagine that this script will be turned into a live action video—that is, actors would be dressed up as food products acting out these scenes. You might come across these videos on the FDA website or in ads on social media. We would really appreciate your honest feedback on what works and what doesn’t work for you.

I first will pass around [Video script X]

[MODERATOR: ROTATE ORDER OF VIDEO SCRIPTS, PER TABLE]

Like we did with the previous handout of information, feel free to mark up your handouts [REFER BACK TO INSTRUCTIONS ON FLIP CHART]: CIRCLE words, phrases, or images you like; CROSS OUT words, phrases, or images you don’t like; add QUESTION MARKS on things you find confusing or in areas where you have questions. You are also welcomed to write other comments on these handouts. I’ll post these instructions up on the wall for you to refer to as you’re marking up your handouts.

[MODERATOR 1) PASSES OUT FIRST VIDEO SCRIPT, AND PENCILS/PENS, 2) POSTS INSTRUCTIONS FOR MARKING HANDOUTS AND 3) INVITES THE PARTICIPANTS TO MARK IT UP.]

[NOTE TO MODERATOR: BEGIN QUESTIONS BELOW FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL VIDEO SCRIPT.]

1. 1^st Video script:

1. What was your immediate reaction when you read this script and saw the image?

   • PROBE: What do you like about this? Why?

   • PROBE: What do you not like about this? Why? What improvements, if any, would you make?

2. What do you think is the main message in this script?

• PROBE: Is there anything that is not understandable? Is there anything unclear or confusing? Is there anything that you would like more information on?

3. Who is this video designed for? Tell me more about that.

   • How interested would you be in seeing this script developed into a full video?

4. Where would you expect to see this video?

   • PROBE: Where should this video be played to best reach you?

5. If you came across this video on a website or on social media, how likely is it that you would watch it?

   • If likely, what about it makes you want to watch it? What catches your attention?

   • If not likely, what changes could be made to this video so it better catches your attention?

6. What, if anything, would you do after watching this video?

   • How, if at all, would this influence your packaged food/beverage decisions?

   • Would this video make you want to visit the FDA website for more information?

7. What additional information would you want to learn after viewing this as a video?

8. Is there anything else we didn’t discuss that you would like to share?

2. 2^nd Video script:

1. What was your immediate reaction when you read this script and saw the image?

   • PROBE: What do you like about this? Why?

   • PROBE: What do you not like about this? Why? What improvements, if any, would you make?

2. What do you think is the main message in this script?

• PROBE: Is there anything that is not understandable? Is there anything unclear or confusing? Is there anything that you would like more information on?

3. Who is this video designed for? Tell me more about that.

   • How interested would you be in seeing this script developed into a full video?

4. Where would you expect to see this video?

   • PROBE: Where should this video be played to best reach you?

5. If you came across this video on a website or on social media, how likely is it that you would watch it?

   • If likely, what about it makes you want to watch it? What catches your attention?

   • If not likely, what changes could be made to this video so it better catches your attention?

6. What, if anything, would you do after watching this video?

   • How, if at all, would this influence your packaged food/beverage decisions?

   • Would this video make you want to visit the FDA website for more information?

7. What additional information would you want to learn after viewing this as a video?

8. Is there anything else we didn’t discuss that you would like to share?

3. 3^rd Video script:

1. What was your immediate reaction when you read this script and saw the image?

   • PROBE: What do you like about this? Why?

   • PROBE: What do you not like about this? Why? What improvements, if any, would you make?

2. What do you think is the main message in this script?

   • PROBE: Is there anything that is not understandable? Is there anything unclear or confusing? Is there anything that you would like more information on?

3. Who is this video designed for? Tell me more about that.

   • How interested would you be in seeing this script developed into a full video?

4. Where would you expect to see this video?

   • PROBE: Where should this video be played to best reach you?

5. If you came across this video on a website or on social media, how likely is it that you would watch it?

   • If likely, what about it makes you want to watch it? What catches your attention?

   • If not likely, what changes could be made to this video so it better catches your attention?

6. What, if anything, would you do after watching this video?

   • How, if at all, would this influence your packaged food/beverage decisions?

   • Would this video make you want to visit the FDA website for more information?

7. What additional information would you want to learn after viewing this as a video?

8. Is there anything else we didn’t discuss that you would like to share?

4. 4^th Video script:

1. What was your immediate reaction when you read this script and saw the image?

   • PROBE: What do you like about this? Why?

   • PROBE: What do you not like about this? Why? What improvements, if any, would you make?

2. What do you think is the main message in this script?

• PROBE: Is there anything that is not understandable? Is there anything unclear or confusing? Is there anything that you would like more information on?

3. Who is this video designed for? Tell me more about that.

   • How interested would you be in seeing this script developed into a full video?

4. Where would you expect to see this video?

   • PROBE: Where should this video be played to best reach you?

5. If you came across this video on a website or on social media, how likely is it that you would watch it?

   • If likely, what about it makes you want to watch it? What catches your attention?

   • If not likely, what changes could be made to this video so it better catches your attention?

6. What, if anything, would you do after watching this video?

   • How, if at all, would this influence your packaged food/beverage decisions?

   • Would this video make you want to visit the FDA website for more information?

7. What additional information would you want to learn after viewing this as a video?

8. Is there anything else we didn’t discuss that you would like to share?

5. [Rank]: Now we are going to go around the room and have you rank, from best to worst, which of these video scripts is the most effective at catching your attention and raising your awareness of the new Nutrition Facts label.

   1. Why did you rank these video scripts in this order?

6. Is there anything else you would like us to talk about that we haven’t yet discussed about these video scripts?

Print and Social Media Advertisements (20 mins)

Finally, I’m going to pass around a sample advertisement that you might come across in print and on social media. Just a reminder that all of these ads will feature actual people in food product costumes in place of the sketched characters.

1. What is your immediate reaction to these pieces?

   1. What do you like?

   2. What do you dislike?

2. What do you think is the main message of these pieces?

   1. What 3 words would you use to summarize this message?

3. Given how you personally use social media, how likely would this social media piece catch your attention?

   1. If likely, what catches your attention and why?

   2. If not likely, what changes could be made to make this catch your attention?

4. Where would you expect to see this print ad?

   1. What would you do if you came across this print ad while you were shopping in the store?

   2. What would you do if you came across this print ad on a bus stop or a billboard?

5. Is anything in these pieces confusing? If so, what about it is confusing?

6. What, if anything, would you change?

7. What, if anything, would you do after seeing these pieces? / What would this motivate you to do?

   1. Would you be more likely to pay closer attention to the Nutrition Facts label after viewing this ad?

   2. Would you be more likely to visit the website after viewing this ad?

False Close (5 minutes)

That’s all the questions I have. I am going to check in with my colleagues to see if I missed anything. I’ll be right back.

[Moderator: go to back room to see if there are any new questions.]

FC Q1:

So we did have one additional question: Which piece of information that you saw today stuck with you? What about it stuck with you?

Close (2 minutes)

Do you have any questions for me or any additional feedback that you’d like to provide?

Thank you very much for your time today. Your feedback is very much appreciated. As a reminder, please leave all materials on the table before you exit the room. We will be tallying your answers and recording your responses to the concepts such as what you crossed out and what you circled, etc. Also, if you want more information on the label, you can go to www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation (that is a real and active website).

[Moderator: Stop recording. Administer incentives and obtain receipts.]

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