Online Program

334028
Growing Healthy Roots: A social marketing campaign to increase the amount of fruit and vegetable purchases in the Hollygrove neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana


Sunday, November 1, 2015

Meg Skizim, MPH, School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA
PURPOSE- The Hollygrove Market and Farm, located in a known food desert in New Orleans, is underutilized by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants and neighborhood residents. To address this disparity, an evidence-based pilot social marketing campaign was developed to increase awareness of and increase produce purchases from the market by community residents.

DESIGN METHODS-  Campaign efficacy will be measured by 50 pre/post intervention questionnaires (measuring fruit/vegetable purchasing behavior, feelings regarding social marketing tactics, and knowledge of farmer’s markets accessibility and the types of goods and services provided); purchases using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT); hits on social media sites; and the number of print materials and e-mails disseminated. Growing Healthy Root’s team will track, record and analyze the distribution of all of the questionnaires, EBT purchases and social marketing materials.

EXPECTED RESULTS -Anticipated results are to have 50 pre and post questionnaires completed, resulting in an increased awareness of the Hollygrove market, and the discounts offered by the market; distributed 2500 print materials; obtained 500 hits on the website; generated over 75 posts and likes on the Facebook and Instagram accounts; and increase the amount of EBT purchases in the farmer’s market by 5%.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION-The Social Marketing strategy is proven to be an effective method to influence food purchasing behaviors in similar populations. Combined with social media and a focus on local produce providers, this pilot campaign will serve as the foundation for a more established campaign which can be disseminated statewide

Learning Areas:

Communication and informatics
Program planning
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the impacts of implementing a social marketing campaign in an underserved community.Describe the challenges faced when using modern social marketing techniques.

Keyword(s): Social Marketing, Underserved Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work as a research assistant on a P20 research project that investigates how genes, exercise and diet influence health. I have an undergraduate degree in Mass Communication, and I am scheduled to complete my MPH in May 2015.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.