Intervention (Hidden)
TV episodes with different alcohol narrative valence (positive or negative) were produced, using a theatre methodology, which replicates the TV program context but also allows full control of the storyline’s messages. An original script was developed and the screenplay was professionally produced and edited to mimic a studio production. Different versions of the storyline were created to manipulate the valence of the embedded alcohol message.
The narrative follows a teen, ‘Tom,’ in a series of events leading up to a beach party where he and his friends are seen drinking heavily with other teens. In line with youth-oriented social marketing research, both positive and negative versions of the narrative emphasized the social consequences of the behavior. 19 In the positive version, Tom behaves charmingly, ‘gets the girl,’ and wins entry to a film festival; unbeknownst to him, the festival director is the girl’s father, thus facilitating entry in the festival. His drinking is part of a storyline that ends on a positive note. In the negative version, Tom behaves loutishly toward Katie, the romantic interest. She scorns him for his behavior while drinking and, after word of his misconduct gets back to her father, the festival director, Tom fails to advance in the competition. Here, drinking leads to the protagonist’s downfall.
Forty-second video epilogues were also produced that featured either Tom, the male protagonist, or Katie, the female protagonist, speaking about the consequences of drinking for young people. The actors stayed in character for the epilogues. The message emphasized the social consequences of drinking, as recommended by Fishbein et al. (2002). 15 Epilogues following the pro-alcohol story began with “what you see on TV is not real. In reality, alcohol changes your behavior in a bad way, it makes you do things you might regret” and epilogues following the anti-alcohol story began with “as you saw in the episode…” and the remainder of the message was the same. All epilogues concluded with “you do not need to drink to have fun and fit in.”