Keepin It R. E. A. L Campaign Analysis

For the past few decades, schools have been developing different drug prevention system. Such programs that have been introduced that are more common are D.A.R.E and N.O.P.E within the American school system. One drug prevention program that is not widely known but should be is the Keepin’ it R.E.A.L program. The Keepin’ it R.E.A.L campaign was a drug prevention program that was meant for a younger audience such as middle school children. This program through different research and studies has proven to be a successful program about drug prevention but is not publicly known within the school systems in the United States nationwide. This essay will breakdown the different components of this health campaign through the theory behind its message,

The first component that will be looked at in this health campaign is the theory behind Keepin’ it R.E.A.L. It is important for any health campaign to have an idea or theory to structure the health campaign on. This campaign was molded around the communication theory about narratives. The narrative theory is when talking is being organized around a specific experience whether it being significant or consequential, with the characters in the interaction engaging in some type of action, within a certain realm of context, with a beginning and an ending, and an importance for the narrator and the engaging audience. Narratives can be used as either first or third person and can be fictional or non-fictional depending on the setting of the narrative. First person narratives, however, can be the most effective way to help the efforts in a health campaign because it helps provide a connection to the narrator and the audience. This campaign, according to an article by Mary L. Harthun, Patricia A, Dustman, Leslie J. Reeves & Flavio E Marsiglia (2009), used the narrative theory as “primary theoretical anchor of the adaptation because developmental and social levels of 10 and 11 year olds posed a different set

The message that this campaign is trying to imply to its audience is resisting drugs and that drugs are not cool or good for one’s health. The idea the prevention is vital within the drug resistance movement. The message is used to help develop the message strategy for the campaign. The strategy of the campaign is to implicate the message through the R.E.A.L acronym. R is for refuse which helps the students build the confidence to say NO to offered drugs, E means for the student to explain why they chose not to take or do drugs, A describes how students can learn to avoid being put in dangerous situations with drugs involved, and L talks about how students can leave the scene and not feel the pressure to stay. This strategy within this campaign is very clear and to the point well enough for children of a young age with a smaller attention span. There is one weakness to the type of message strategy for this health campaign. Depending on where the course is taught within different school systems in the United States, there are different versions that emphasize vary resistance exercises and geographical cultural influences. This is a potential problem because the message that is trying to come across through the message strategy is altered away from what the message actual means to how it can be construed to fit a specific culture or geographical interest such as