BEACON AWARDS ENTRY - TITLE: Take Charge! Data Use Education
CATEGORY: Community Relations—MSO Headquarters
CONTACT: Mallard Holliday, Cox Communications, 1400 Lake Hearn Dr., Atlanta, GA 30319
BACKGROUND
“Take Charge,” is a comprehensive program to empower parents, protect children, and position Cox a strong community supporter. Over the past several years, Cox launched dozens of initiatives that garnered tremendous media and consumer attention. However, as Take Charge entered its 8th year, we were discussing whether to continue the initiative. At the same time, a business issue began to surface as we learned that consumers didn’t understand the amount of Internet bandwidth (data) they use. This lack of understanding contributes to consumer confusion about the need for data allowances and Internet price increases. Also, with the increase in mobile devices, our research showed that while parents were using parental controls on the home computer, they were not using them on mobile devices. While most consumers are not concerned about data use in general, they are concerned about keeping family members safer online as they consume data. The Take Charge Data Use Education initiative provided a creative way to get the customer’s attention with Internet safety information while exposing them to key business messages about the amount of data used by the public. Additionally, the campaign teaches the consumer to manage data use by securing their Wi-Fi connections, using Cox Security Suite to remove data consuming viruses and to be aware of illegal content downloads in their home. We decided it was critical to continue Take Charge, and to shift the focus to educate parents about the new dangers of unmonitored mobile Internet devices while raising awareness about the amount of data being consumed.
PLANNING and STRATEGY
Research: With the proliferation of mobile devices like the iPad, kids are going online much earlier. New this year, we conducted a survey of parents and tweens (10-13 year-olds) to determine what tweens were doing online compared to what parents thought tweens were doing. The research showed that the explosion in Internet use and the number of Internet-enabled devices in the home are overwhelming for parents as they try to monitor tweens’ online behavior. Parents believe it’s important to keep their kids safe online but have a false sense of security that their talks with tweens about online safety are enough. We learned that most parents are taking an “I trust you” approach to Internet safety and are not activating the most basic parental control features to block inappropriate Web sites. This “I trust you” approach, especially when it comes to monitoring mobile Internet devices such as smart phones and tablets, has given tweens near complete freedom to surf unmonitored every day, every hour. Unfortunately, our survey showed, this approach has led to 42% of tweens having been contacted by someone they did not know, while only 22% of parents believe their child has been contacted by a stranger. Many tweens have already been exposed to inappropriate content online that they report “made them feel uncomfortable.”
Additional findings:
· 47% of tweens admit to using the Internet when parents aren’t home but only 36% of parents are aware of this.
· 29% of tweens admit to visiting a Web site that is off limits.
· 18% of tweens admit to using the Internet in rooms that are off-limits.
· 14% of tweens admit they’ve posted something they’re not allowed to post.
· 8% of tweens admit to changing their passwords to avoid parental monitoring.
The results validated our plan to enhance Take Charge with an increased focus on tween Internet safety and raise awareness among parents about the importance of using parental controls on mobile devices.
Objectives: 1) Encourage parents to manage and monitor their kids’ Internet use on mobile devices. 2) Enhance Cox’s image as a company concerned about child safety. 3) Raise awareness that data use is doubling every two years and the average family has five Internet enabled devices in the home.
Audiences: Cox customers, teens, Cox communities, national consumers, lawmakers, regulators.
Justification Statement: The program is entered in the “Community Relations—MSO Headquarters” category because it sought to empower parents in our communities to manage what their children see and do, and don’t see and do, online, and to position Cox as a strong member of the communities we call home. It was created and managed by Cox’s corporate PR team.
IMPLEMENTATION New Take Charge tactics and updates to existing tactics:
National Spokesperson – John Walsh Host of America’s Most Wanted, Walsh is a well-recognized children’s safety advocate. We recruited him as our spokesperson in 2004 but let the contract lapse in 2010. In planning our new 2012 initiatives, we reestablish the partnership. Walsh’s celebrity and reputation as a crusader for kids amplify our key messages and allowed us to reach more families. He shot three new Internet Safety and Data Use Education PSAs, conducted numerous media interviews, hosted a national Tween Internet Safety Facebook Chat, a Tween Internet Safety Tweet Up at the National Press Club and headlined a SMT touting our key messages and research findings.
Satellite Media Tour To promote the new Tween Internet research and Data Use Education Messaging, Walsh headlined a fully subscribed SMT in June, which is Internet Safety Month.
Facebook Chat New this year, Cox conducted a Facebook Chat, streamed live from the National Press Club. The event was hosted by John Walsh and Cox’s Executive Director of Social Media. Also, new this year, the event was promoted through an MMR and a social media animation about the survey results http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56493-cox-national-center-for-missing-exploited-children-keep-kids-safer-online
Tweet Up with Mommy Bloggers New this year, to continue the momentum of the research findings and the Data Use Education campaign, Cox conducted a Tweet Up at the National Press Club. The Tweet Up was hosted by former CNN correspondent, Jeanne Meserve and featured well-known mommy blogger Laticia Barr and Walsh.
National NCMEC Partnership The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is the top child advocacy group in the U.S., and serves as a force against child exploitation. It is also a leading advocate for Internet safety. Having NCMEC as our nonprofit partner in the research and media outreach, gave significant credibility to our efforts.
Public Service Announcements Walsh filmed three new TV spots that address topics like protecting personal information online, talking to kids about Internet safety and results from the Cox/NCMEC research.
www.cox.com/TakeCharge This site is the central repository for dozens of useful tools to ensure safe, productive use of mass media. This year, we updated Take Charge with new information and tools, including online security tips, the new PSAs and streaming video segments highlighting the consequences of unsafe Internet use.
RESULTS: Link to Highlights Reel: http://www.nvision-studios.com/cox/take_charge.wmv
Objective: Encourage parents to manage and monitor their kids’ Internet use on mobile devices.
n 287 local TV stations in key Cox markets and nationwide, covered the survey results and tips to help parents manage Internet use on mobile devices. The audience was over 10 million viewers.
n 23 National, regional and local radio shows reported the survey findings and tips for parents, including, the Wall Street Journal Radio and American Urban Radio, reaching an audience of nearly 1.5 million.
n Tweet Up at the National Press Club generated 5.2 million impressions pre- and post-event, which was streamed live. 451 people contributed to the Twitter conversation, resulting in nearly 1,600 tweets using hashtag #CoxTakeCharge
Objective: Enhance Cox’s image as a company concerned about child safety
n SMT was fully subscribed, with Walsh interviewed by 25 TV and radio stations reaching at least one radio or TV station in every Cox market.
n Take Charge Internet Safety and Data Use Education PSAs have aired on Cox Cable channels more than 200,000 times with an audience of nearly 6 million, for ad value of $2 million.
n Visitors to Take Charge Web site with educational tools for families increased 160%. Page views increased 157%.
n 11 Mommy Bloggers attended the Tweet Up live and wrote blogs that generated more than 1.8 million impressions.
Objective: Raise awareness that data use is doubling every two years and the average family has five Internet enabled devices in the home
n All SMT coverage included the key messaging about data use doubling and internet devices in the home, with most reporters leading with the key message to introduce the segment
n The New York Times included the key messages in a front page article.
n The Cox FaceBook Chat with Walsh and Cox Social media leader contained 352 streams of live content from the National Press Club and generated 21,000 impressions.
n All major program elements contained the key messaging and were reported in the media.