Role of media advocacy and social media in nutrition policy advocacy in Oregon

This presentation will provide an overview of the lessons learned from two recent nutrition campaigns in Oregon namely, 1) passing a local and statewide chain restaurant menu labeling policy and 2) launching an awareness building campaign around the detrimental health effects of soda consumption. This presentation will focus on how advocates planned and implemented two low cost media advocacy and social media campaigns which created compelling messages in light of fierce industry opposition. Menu labeling at fast food and other chain restaurants provide consumers with calorie information on menus and menu boards at point-of-decisionmaking. Menu labeling, an obesity prevention tool, is used to give consumers the nutritional information needed to make informed decisions. Concurrently, Oregon is one of the few states to launch an awareness building campaign around soda consumption as advocates prepare for a soda tax policy campaign.

There are many factors that affect a campaigns success. These two recent campaigns in Oregon focused on media advocacy and social media tools as learned from the tobacco prevention movement. This case study will describe: 1) overall campaign strategy; 2) effective types of messages used to influence policymakers and the public; 3) political challenges; and 4) opportunities advocates have in being successful against a powerful industry.

Learning Objectives: 
1) Identify the steps in designing and implementing a media advocacy nutrition policy campaign; 2) Explain how advocates can best counter industry opposition and maintain social justice values; 3) Describe the opportunities available to best use media advocacy in nutrition policy campaigns.