This spring, things got quite heated with negative campaigns that shamed young moms about their teen pregnancy, most notably the Candie’s Foundation ads that state:
Teenage years are the time to change the world, not diapers
There’s been a quietly brewing debate about teen pregnancy in the U.S., with the traditional position that teen pregnancies are a public health issue similar to teen smoking, and the alternative position that it’s a race and class issue, an issue of values, and every young woman gets to choose her life path and be proud of it.
Digital campaigns took root, including the hashtag #noteenshame and a Change.org petition by Strong Families to stop the Candies ads. Communities in Milwaukee, headed up by the United Way, took a public health approach and used contracep-texting and a video contest to gather community partners and buck the trends. BUtiful is a program in New Orleans for African American teen women age 17 to 19 that integrates online chat and discussion forums so young women can make informed choices about their lives.
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tags: digital marketing campaigns, online chat, reproductive health, teen pregnancy, teens, video contest, young moms of color, youth of color.
