How do you change behavior? How do you motivate consumers to take steps that will improve their health and well-being? How do you make a highly technical or scientific subject to which Americans have been largely indifferent or unaware compelling and top-of-mind?

These are the challenges many corporations, professional societies, constituency groups and government agencies face as they attempt to raise awareness, educate and prompt action regarding health, safety, and social responsibility issues. In response, Ruder Finn specializes in planning and implementing high-impact, results-driven public education campaigns that not only educate but also stimulate behavior change.

We are proud of our work with the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make the safe use of over-the-counter drugs a top-of-mind concern. We’ve also helped Johnson & Johnson get more Americans interested in nursing and helped the Department of Health and Human Service’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment raise attention to the growing problem of heroin and prescription pain killer abuse. Ruder Finn created Get Hip About Hep for the American Liver Foundation to raise awareness about hepatitis. Whether the topic is disease awareness, access to clinical trials, safe medication use, weight management, substance abuse, domestic violence, or consumer rights and responsibilities, Ruder Finn mounts multi-media education campaigns that are designed to capture media attention and change minds.

In designing these public education initiatives, Ruder Finn draws from a deep bench of talent including specialists in market research, consumer marketing, health and consumer education, and multi-cultural outreach to segment the audiences and define messages that resonate. We then develop both highly targeted or national awareness campaigns, utilizing a range of media channels – the Internet, public service spots, media relations and community outreach – to communicate effectively with the public or specific audiences and builds in measurement tools to evaluate the results. Ruder Finn also specializes in developing creative materials and innovative tools that drive awareness and establishes valuable partnerships with third party organizations that have the impact and reach to amplify these messages.