Creative Campaigns

Helping you reach your goals through strategic 360-degree campaigns

Reducing Child Abuse in Montezuma County

A Social Norms Change Approach to Preventing Child Maltreatment

In partnership with the United Way of Southwest Colorado and the Child Maltreatment Prevention Action Team (CMPAT), Sage Messaging worked on a media campaign to reduce child maltreatment in Montezuma County, Colorado.

The campaign addressed norms related to help-seeking with parenting, accessing food, and collective prosperity focused on the narrative about who is responsible for supporting families to prevent child maltreatment.

By developing research-based and community-specific norm strategies, we reframed the way people think and talk about child maltreatment and support-seeking behaviors.

(Video by Matthew Tangeman Media)

"In 2018 Montezuma County reported 14.9 substantiated cases of child abuse (Per 1000 children),
while the Colorado statewide average was 9.5."

Kids Count Data

Approach

Our work is guided by a community survey that measured existing norms surrounding child maltreatment prevention behaviors. The survey was created based on the "Science of the Positive" framework developed by Dr. Jeff Linkenbach at The Montana Institute and has a convenience sample size of over 500 community members.

The survey tested people's perceived injunctive norms and perceived descriptive norms surrounding help-seeking behavior and willingness to intervene in cases of suspected child abuse.

Based on the findings, we utilized a media campaign approach to reach community members from various groups in our community. This campaign had the underlying theme: "Montezuma County Supports Each Other."

Screen Shot 2022-08-31 at 10.54_edited.jpg

The Campaign

Step 1

The creation of branding guidelines to build trust in the campaign and ensure cohesive messaging

Step 2

Social media outreach targeted to parents or people interested in childcare in our geographic area

Step 3

A community mural designed by a high school group with the words "Imagine a World Where All Children Thrive." Community members were then invited to put their handprints on the mural to represent their dedication to preventing child maltreatment after an educational presentation

Step 4

We sent out direct mailers to every member of the community with tips and links to resources to get support;

Step 5

Created stickers that people could place around town to demonstrate their desire to support one another and increase brand awareness

Step 6

A movie theater advertisement to show people in the community how to access resources to get support.

Step 7

A billboard that disseminated the findings that "94% of people in Montezuma County Agree that All Caregivers Deserve Support." In order to show people that it is the norm to ask for help.

Step 8

Press releases about the mural that led to a newspaper article, a news segment, and radio coverage;

Step 9

A high school group that presented to local leaders about the importance of child maltreatment prevention practices as a top-down approach.

Step 10

A website that includes all the community resources available to people. This website was linked to all of our outreach materials through QR codes and/or the website link.