Tobacco. Reality. Unfiltered. (TRU)

The Problem

The Tobacco.Reality.Unfiltered. (TRU) peer-to-peer movement has grown considerably since the launch of the TRU recruitment campaign in September 2007: nearly 10,000 NC youth have already taken the pledge to stay tobacco-free. Recruitment was bolstered in 2008 with the creation of the TRU “Teen of the Month” television ad campaign, which featured the winners of a statewide contest for NC youth to communicate reasons for being tobacco-free.

TRU Stories includes personal testimonials that have been demonstrated to be effective in preventing youth tobacco use, and several such ads were created and aired with HWTF funds. Anna is a young woman who tells other NC youth about losing a grandmother to tobacco. Jacobi talks about an uncle dying from tobacco-related disease and encourages youth to stay tobacco-free. Terrie shows pictures of herself as a young woman and describes her battle with cancer and the resulting laryngectomy. The latest ads, created in 2008, introduce Reena, a 28-year old mother from Asheville who began smoking at age 13, first experienced symptoms at age 19, and was ultimately diagnosed with throat cancer by age 21. Reena’s story is a powerful dose of reality for teens who may otherwise think that adverse health effects from tobacco use are consequences they would only need to worry about when they are much older.
 

HWTF Solution (program description)

The Tobacco-Reality-Unfiltered (TRU) peer-to-peer movement is spreading ever wider through the launch of the TRU recruitment campaign in September 2007 where already over 7,000 NC youth have taken the pledge to stay tobacco free. Recruitment was bolstered in the spring of 2008 with the TRU “Teen of the Month” television campaign, featuring the winners of a contest among NC youth who used creative ways to communicate their reasons for choosing to be tobacco-free.

To learn more about the TRU movement or to pledge to stay tobacco-free, visit www.realityunfiltered.com.
 

Key Accomplishments (outcomes to date)

Youth awareness of the TRU campaign increased by nearly one-third from 2006 to 2007. 

  • General awareness of the campaign rose from 54% in 2006 to 71% in 2007. 
  • Over 500,000 NC youth (ages 11-17) have seen and are aware of the NC TRU campaign.

Awareness of the TRU campaign slogan rose substantially from 2006 to 2007. 

  • Youth awareness of the Tobacco.Reality.Unfiltered. slogan increased from 48% in 2006 to 55% in 2007.

NC youth responded positively to the ads run in 2007. 

  • More than 95% of NC youth who had seen the 2007 ads reported that they were convincing, attention-grabbing and gave good reasons not to use tobacco. 
  • Over 25% of NC youth reported that they talked to their friends about the ads, indicating high “chat value.”