Outcome Evaluation of Maine SNAP-Ed’s Print and Digital Social Marketing Campaign

Abstract

To determine effectiveness of reaching Maine SNAP-Ed’s target audience with social marketing messages delivered through print and digital channels. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) encourages the use of social marketing campaigns as a way to enhance nutrition education in SNAP-Ed. Successful campaigns are comprehensive in scope and provide education through multiple channels. In 2015, Maine SNAP-Ed launched its campaign, called Shop, Cook, Eat Healthy and on a Budget, to influence health-related behaviors of individuals and communities while building upon direct nutrition education efforts. The campaign integrated traditional print materials (direct mail postcards, posters, flyers), with a robust online presence (targeted online ads, social media, landing page). Target audience were SNAP-eligible women with children in Maine. Altarum conducted a follow-up randomized phone survey of 600 SNAP recipients statewide using measures from the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework to assess campaign exposure. Awareness of the campaign increased significantly from the previous year (63% vs. 49%), and women with children reported higher levels of exposure to messages compared to other respondents (81% vs. 56%), indicating that messages are resonating with the target audience. While print materials were the most commonly recalled among all respondents, women with children had higher levels of recall of the digital campaign compared to others. Exposure to the campaign led many respondents to report tying out a new behavior such as making healthier food choices (32%). Evaluation results indicate that Maine SNAP-Ed has designed a social marketing campaign that reaches a large segment of its target audience through print and digital channels.