The National Overview - Background Rationale
Partnered with the Vitae Caring Foundation
History: In 1993, national pro-life leaders met and formed The Caring Foundation (now named the Vitae Caring Foundation) to develop a national pro-life media strategy. They wanted to provide an outreach to those “in the middle” who were in conflict over the abortion issue. They recognized television advertising as the most practical and effective medium to deliver compelling presentations to widely diverse audiences. They also recognized that television’s familiarity provides a tremendous credibility to both the message and the messenger.
Research: The “right brain” research on which the ads were based was conducted in two separate studies by Dr. Charles Kenny of Tennessee. Dr. Kenny is highly respected for his pioneering research in uncovering motivational factors behind behavior.
Research was conducted using a number of study groups, one of which focused on “pro-choice” women. The resulting research provided insights that formed the basis of effective messages. Using language and imagery that attracts, rather than alienate, the ads attempt to show that abortion is a decision that is not in a women’s best self interest.
The study also focused on our need to communicate an understanding that “choice” makes the woman a victim, and that the decision not to have an abortion is a courageous decision which is empowering and heroic.
National implementation: Television ads were produced and tested for effectiveness. Through polling, it is possible to identify the shift in public opinion of both the target audience and the general public.
Our compassion for women in a crisis pregnancy is highlighted by offering information on alternatives to abortion services with a 1-800 tag line at the end of the commercials.
This background provided the basis for believing that we need to bring these messages to the Chicago area – an area that covers seventeen counties (Illinois and Indiana) and would reach over nine million people. The Caring Outreach partnered with the Vitae Caring Foundation in 1998 to bring these messages to the general public in Chicago.
A number of Vitae Caring Foundation television ads can be seen at their web site; www.vitaecaringfoundation.org.
Impressed with Results in Wisconsin
“Wisconsin Right to Life has worked very effectively to raise public awareness about abortion. Our poll data reveals that a full 67% of Wisconsin adults now believe abortion should not be legal except in the most extreme circumstances, a 14% pro-life attitude increase in an eight year span from 1993 to 2001. Most significantly, 78% of women 18-34, those most likely to procure an abortion, now believe abortion should not be legal except in the most extreme circumstances, a 33% pro-life attitude increase from 1993 to 2001. It is women 18-34 who have been targeted by our public awareness campaign,” stated Barbara Lyons, Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life.
Wisconsin Right to Life has used television ads state wide since 1995 and has experienced a steady decline in their abortion numbers. Wisconsin abortion numbers reached their peak in 1980 with 21,754 abortions performed. In 2001, twenty-one years later, abortions number 10,925.
The previous year Ms. Lyons commented: “The people of Wisconsin have been, and continue to be, deeply moved by the right to life message through our Veritas Society television campaigns. (Veritas has partnered with the Vitae Caring Foundation, using many of their commercials.)
Testing of new ads in Wisconsin
In March of 2002, Wisconsin Right to Life tested a new Caring Foundation television commercial called "Life Saver " in their state capital, Madison – an extremely hard core “pro-abortion” area. Pre and post polling in that campaign indicated that 13% of the women 18-34 yrs old polled had shifted to a pro-life position during that 13-week campaign. Further use of this new commercial in St. Louis and in Milwaukee confirmed that this was the message we needed to air in Chicago as quickly as possible.