Circulo Creativo

Why are we advertising? To convince Hispanic teenagers to stay in school What’s the Situation? Hispanics are the group with highest High School Dropout rate in the country. Over 20% of Hispanic students between 10th and 12th grade will not graduate High School (compared to only 4% of Non-Hispanic whites, or 9% of African Americans). This has been called a national crisis for many years, but very little improvement has been seen. Whom are we talking to? Hispanic "at-risk" teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18. Most of these kids are raised in troubled households. Poverty, single-parent, alcoholism, teen pregnancy, drug use and many other problems are often present in their lives. On top of all this, no one is pushing these kids to finish school. Many parents don’t fully comprehend the value of an education and there are few or no role models in these kids’ lives. Likewise, the deplorable state of schools in low-income neighborhoods means that they can expect no extra help from there either. If they make it, they make it because of their own will and effort. What do they currently think? My parents didn’t graduate High School, nor did my tio’s or most of my cousins. I know it’s supposed to be wrong to drop out, but they seem to be OK, right? Sure they’re not rich, but they’re fine I think*. I guess it really isn’t that big of a deal. I’ll be fine. If not, I can always figure it out later. What would we like them to think? It’s a huge deal. Dropping out of High School would be the biggest mistake of my life. What is the single most persuasive Idea we can convey. Choose carefully, because it will affect you for the rest of your life. Why should they believe it? Dropouts earn 50% less than high School Graduates 82% of prisoners in America are High School dropouts High School dropouts are 4 times more likely to be unemployed High School dropouts much more likely to be on welfare Are there any creative guidelines? Teenagers are immune to most scare tactics. No matter what you say, they think they’re invincible and in control. The challenge here is convince them that their choice today will REALLY affect them for the rest of their lives. Teenagers normally do not care about life very far into the future. Keep this in mind when developing your ideas. Notes: Because of their young age and narrow life-experience, these kids don’t realize that their parents and family/friends are in pretty bad shape. They don’t really see how low they are on the economic scale or how tough their lives are compared to other people. They think this poverty is normal.