Prepared for:
Health Canada
cpab_por-rop_dgcap@hc-sc.gc.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français
Contract number: CW2237964- HT372-224783
Contract date: 22-08-19
Contract value: $166,703.24
Registration number: POR # 031-22
Prepared by:
Entegritē Consulting
Prepared for Health Canada
Supplier: Entegritē Consulting
March 2023
Aussi disponible en français sous le tître : Validation des produits de marketing jeunesse
The reproduction of this publication is permitted for personal or public non-commercial purposes. For all other uses, prior written permission must be obtained from Health Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Health Canada at HC.cpab.por-rop.dgcap.SC@canada.ca
Catalogue Number: H14-441/2023E-PDF
ISBN: 978-0-660-49145-5
Related publications (Catalogue number): H14-441/2023F-PDF
(Final Report, French) ISBN 978-0-660-49146-2
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Health, 2023.
In recent years, there has been a greater focus on marketing activities aimed specifically to youth audiences ranging in age from 11 to 19 years. When possible, these marketing elements were created through feedback received by youth who participated in Health Canada led student workshops, youth engagement committees or student ambassador networks. However, the input provided through these groups was not representative of youth from across Canada (i.e. socio-economic status, cultural backgrounds or even urban vs rural experiences, etc.).
To ensure these marketing activities are as effective as possible in producing the behaviour change required, it is critical that marketing elements be tested directly with youth. To accommodate the need for validation across a variety of campaigns, each with their own timelines for product development, three waves of focus groups were designed to test a range of products for three specific campaigns:
The overall objective of the research is to test a variety of marketing elements across different campaigns directly with youth.
The specific objectives for each of the three waves of research are as follows:
Wave 1: Canada Dental Benefit
The specific objectives of the research on the Canada Dental Benefit were:
Wave 2: Food Safety
The specific objectives of the research on food safety were:
Wave 3: Tobacco Cessation
The specific objectives of the research on tobacco and vaping cessation were:
Outlined below are the key findings and conclusions from each wave of the research.
Wave 1: Canada Dental Benefit
The Canada Dental Benefit garnered a lot of positive reaction (by potentially helping to alleviate the cost of dentist visits for children).
The ads effectively communicated the message of the availability of the Canada Dental Benefit but created many questions, specifically around eligibility (i.e. what would it take to qualify?) and coverage (i.e. what dental services are included?).
Participants felt that any ad must clearly identify the Government of Canada and should use its well-established brand (e.g. Canada watermark) especially if the intent is to drive traffic to the website - many are concerned about online scams and would be hesitant to click on a link (most notably on social media sites).
The imagery used was well received; however, the most impactful were those that the participants found relatable such as the child with the missing tooth in the "Smiles" Concept poster.
The icons (tooth or smile) used on the posters were not visually appealing nor impactful (in terms of message), many questioned its utility.
There is no clear 'winner' in terms of the two ad concepts among the English groups, but Quebec groups came out more strongly for "Deep Dive". Both have merits that appeal to different segments of parents. The "Smiles" concept was well liked for the relatable imagery and limited information provided (it raises interested as these parents want to know more), while the "Deep Dive" concept was preferred by those parents who want the ads to provide as much information as possible.
The additional information provided in the "Deep Dive" concept, combined with the more relatable images in the "Smiles" concept would have the largest impact on viewers of the ads.
Wave 2: Food Safety
Most children do basic cooking (or food preparation); some on their own, but mostly with their parents. There is fairly widespread knowledge among the children that hand washing is important but other aspects of food handling and preparation are more limited, with limited mentions of washing vegetables or separating meats from vegetables. The children claimed they learned any safe kitchen practices from their parents.
Children had a mixed reaction to the rap video. Many (and most in the French groups) found the tone and delivery too young for themselves (11-12 years), while others enjoyed it. The message of the video was clear (keep in mind it was played twice for recall). Suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the video include:
Parents are the main source of knowledge for food handling and preparation. Increasing the reach of the food handling and preparation message could include:
Young adults are more likely to be engaged with video and streams than static content.
The Nuggets and Pink Chicken videos both caught the attention of young adults through the effective use of humour, music and imagery. The Pink Chicken video had more impact and resonated better with the English-speaking young adults as it articulated clearly (and more effectively than the Nuggets video) the specific steps to take when cooking chicken, the consequences of not doing so, and where to get more information. While most French participants found the video funny, they didn't see the link between the humour and the message, although the fact that the video was in English with subtitles also played a role in this.
Young adults will generally not click through to look for more information so the ad should be self-contained and present all of the key information in a logical and clear manner. Verbalization of the key messages appears to be an effective approach.
The posters in their current form do not have broad appeal to young adults. The captioning is needed for it to make sense, but this audience is not likely to take the time to read it. The tone (e.g. 'safe', use of drawings) is also not exciting and vibrant enough to capture their attention.
The best way to reach young adults with messages related to food safety is through online channels related to cooking, recipes and food (such as recipe websites, food blogs, etc.).
Wave 3: Tobacco Cessation
Most teens, especially 16-18 year olds, are exposed (know of others) who vape, and to a lesser extent smoke. Teen-participants of all ages are aware that smoking and vaping have negative and harmful effects on health. The younger teens (13-15 year olds) were less sure about the difference in health effects between the two.
Some teens (more so those in the 16-18 year age group) are open to the idea of trying vaping despite their knowledge of the health risks, and several had already tried it, but did not continue vaping. Influencers include friends, interesting flavours and the fact it is a common occurrence in their social settings (such as school).
The ad was effective in communicating the message that there are different options for quitting smoking. However, many participants, particularly the older ones, expressed the opinion that the ad communicated that vaping is a preferable alternative to smoking (although not necessarily healthier); a few even thinking that the ad was "promoting" vaping. Many participants expressed their view that they felt this was not a good message to communicate, with a few participants questioning the appropriateness of the Government of Canada logo at the end.
Participants claimed that the ad did not have any material influence on their likelihood or interest in trying vaping, as their mind was already made up about vaping.
Please note that qualitative research is directional in nature and cannot be used to extrapolate to a wider population. It is designed to reveal a rich range of opinions and interpretations rather than to measure what percentage of the target population holds a given opinion. These results must not be used to estimate the numeric proportion or number of individuals in the population who hold a particular opinion because they are not statistically projectable.
The total value of this contract is $166,703.24 inclusive of HST.
This certification is to be submitted with the final report submitted to the Project Authority.
I hereby certify, as a Representative of Entegritē Consulting, that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Government of Canada's Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and Directive on the Management of Communications.
Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, party standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
_________________ February 23, 2023
Signature Date
Norm Baillie-David, MBA, CAIP
Partner, Entegritē Consulting
This section of the report presents an analysis and summary of the feedback provided by the participants for each wave of the focus groups. The appendix at the end of the report contains each creative product tested in each of the three waves of focus groups.
In the following section, we provide feedback from parents of children under 12 on their views about dental care, as well as reactions to the two different concepts promoting the Canada Dental Benefit.
Dental Care
When asked, parents shared that the last dentist visit was as far back as 4 years ago and as recent as within the past month. However, dentist visitation was typically on an "as needed" basis and was not a regular activity amongst most participants. However, some Ontario and several Quebec participants claimed they tried to bring their kids to the dentist on a regular basis: at least once, if not twice, per year.
Participants will generally find a way to take their children to the dentist if they feel there is a need to do so (i.e. if there are no obvious issues such as tooth pain, cavities, etc. then they will not visit the dentist). Those who have provincial government insurance for their children take their children to the dentist within the coverage allowed.
The cost and expense of dental care was clearly the primary reason for not visiting the dentist. Participants in the Quebec groups tended to agree, once the question was asked as to why they did not take their kids to the dentist more often but seemed reluctant to admit it outwardly. Some of the other reasons for non-visitation to the dentist include anxiety and timing (scheduling).
Reaction to Creative Concept 1: Smiles
"It made me excited because it will help myself and a lot of others" - Parent, East
Participants who watched the "Smiles" video felt it communicated the following messages effectively:
The tone of the video was viewed positively by the participants who felt it provided "good news" with the portrayal of happy children and people. They also felt the video was relatable as the teeth on the kids in the ad were not perfect, similar to real life.
In terms of clarity, many participants wanted more information, which might increase interest to seek more details about the benefit. Specifically, they would like to see more information on:
In the Quebec groups, the order of presentation made a significant difference. When shown first, participants reacted generally very positively; however, when shown second, participants felt that while the concept provided a sense of hope and positive feelings, it lacked information needed, and some participants even indicated it provided a sense of false hope, because they felt that there were criteria that would not allow them to qualify
Most participants recall seeing a website but could not specify the exact URL (a split second isn't much time to remember). Suggestions to promote the website included: to identify the website/URL at the bottom of the screen throughout the ad; and, to have a voiceover in the ad telling viewers the website name and URL.
Reaction was mixed in terms of taking action as a result of the ad. Some would go to the website to look for more information; however, others indicated they would not look further as they felt the lack of eligibility criteria means they would not qualify. Suggestions to improve likelihood to take action included:
The key take-aways or messages that participants identified from looking at the social media ads were:
Opinion on the tone and visuals of the social media ad was mixed. Many felt it was catchy and informative; however, there was uncertainty as to what, exactly, is offered. Several participants stated the social media ads were more clear and inspiring than the video.
In terms of imagery, many said that it was not that relatable as all the people in the ad have perfect teeth. It was also not obvious to everyone that the ad is about dental or teeth. The tooth icon was not picked up by everyone; it was not obvious, has a dated look and many do not understand its purpose as they felt it does not add anything to the ad.
The tag line was considered superficial - the message "Find more reasons to smile" was viewed as condescending by some. Rather, some felt that the wording at bottom (i.e., Take care of your family's needs) and making it a title might be a better option.
In terms of clarity of message, participants generally felt that more information was available (compared to the video), but many still had questions about eligibility criteria and coverage.
It was not clear that the ad was from the Government of Canada; Quebec participants actually felt it might be a private sector ad and were very suspicious. Many would not click on the link due to being wary of scams on social media. Clearer Government of Canada branding would ease suspicions. Having the link directly included is good because it is convenient.
« Je trouve l'affiche génial. Elle me fait rire, sourire! il manque quelques infos mais quand même » (I find the poster nice. It makes me laugh, smile! It's missing some information, but anyway...) - Parent, East
The participants identified two messages from the posters; save money on dental care, and the cost of going to a dentist. They liked the tone and image of the poster as it was relatable because the image shows a child who has lost his tooth and the new one coming in. It had a "happy and fun" vibe; also, the image of the smiling child would draw people in to look at it and made them feel warm.
The tooth icon did not reflect dental care according to the participants. The colour (white on grey) is also not catchy.
Many participants noted that the poster is bilingual, which was welcome. Participants indicated that the URL was easy to remember and liked that it is bolded and in a different colour. However, it should be noted that the better recall of the URL might be due to the fact they already had multiple exposures through the video at this point.
The poster would generally inspire participants to follow up or go to the website - less information is more and leads to curiosity to find out more. Quebec participants indicated that the location of the poster would be key to providing the appropriate context, with the ideal placement being in a dental or medical clinic.
Reaction to Creative Concept 2: Deep Dive
Well put together video for 15secs it touches on all the points trying to come across - Parent, West
Participants who watched the "Deep Dive" video clearly identified costs of up to $650 per child as the key message. They also felt that the information on dollar value may allow them to qualify for the benefit.
In terms of tone, participants generally felt that this ad does not excite. The images speak for themselves; it's about family and children. Other feedback on the tone and imagery include:
The video provides more information (compared to the 'Smiles'), which is welcomed, however, participants feel it is still missing some key details. After watching the ad participants still had questions:
There was very limited recall of the website or URL. Those who would not follow up for more information felt it would not be worth the effort - they assume there would be a lot of paperwork to obtain the benefit and there was also some skepticism about the ease of getting money from the government. Some also stated a reluctance to provide information on a website due to concerns about online scams. Another reason that some participants would not take action is that the benefit being restricted to only children and the amount to $650 is limiting; they would be more interested if it covered the whole family. Those who would click through would do so to get more information about eligibility and coverage.
Participants identified the following messages from the social media ad:
While the messages were well received, the tone and imagery was not. Several felt that the colour scheme is washed out and the tooth icon is hardly visible. Other feedback relating tone and imagery of the social media ad include:
Participants felt that this social media ad provided more clarity and more information than the other ads (e.g. if you earn $90,000 you don't qualify). Other feedback related to clarity of the ad include:
Most would not click on the "Are you eligible?" link for fear of online scams. However, Quebec participants were more likely to click on the link as they are much more intrigued due to the dollar amount being indicated in the ad.
Participants feel that there are too many ads in social media and are wary of clicking directly on the link. Most would do research instead and seek out the government website. The Government of Canada identifier at the top of the screen is too small and not that apparent. The lack of a clear identifier leads to questioning of the credibility of the ad. The Gc.ca domain in the URL could provide some assurance.
There are two key take-aways from the poster; it is a dental benefit from the Government of Canada, and the benefit is $650 per child.
It was generally felt that the poster does not grab attention like the other ("Smiles") poster or the social media or video ads. Other feedback on this poster include:
Preferred Concept
Once participants had viewed the videos, social media ads, and posters for both concepts ("Smiles" and "Deep Dive"), they were asked to provide their response to six specific questions (shown below).
| Question | Overall Feedback |
|---|---|
| Provides you the information you want to know about the Canada Dental Benefit | General agreement that the Deep Dive concept provides more information about the Canada Dental Benefit in all four groups. |
| Entices you to take action or seek more information | No consensus on which concept would promote taking action; some who want lots of information upfront prefer "Deep Dive", while others feel "less is more" and the lack of details would encourage them to seek out the additional information they require. Quebec groups came out more strongly for "Deep Dive". |
| Makes you feel happy and/or relieved that more children can visit the dentist | The Smiles concept was generally preferred in the English groups in terms of creating positive feelings as the images (especially the boy in the poster) were very relatable. Notwithstanding the stronger emotional pull, Quebec participants preferred "Deep Dive" for providing more information on eligibility. |
| Gives you a sense of relief that you may be able to get assistance to take your kids to the dentist | Both concepts were relatively equal in terms of creating a sense of relief about dental assistance for kids. |
| Lets you know if you may qualify for the Canada Dental Benefit | The Deep Dive concept provides more clarity around qualification for the Canada Dental Benefit. |
| Better overall? | No clear winner between the concepts in the English groups, but Quebec groups preferred "Deep Dive". Ideally, both English and Quebec groups would prefer the smiling images of "Smiles" with the information provided in "Deep Dive" Both have appeal, notably the imagery in the "Smiles" concept is more relatable, while the additional information provided in the "Deep Dive" concept addresses important questions. |
Alternative Posters
The alternative posters with the 'smile' icon replacing the 'tooth' icon did not change the preferences of participants. Of the two icons, the 'tooth' was clearly preferred in all groups with the 'smile' icon being labelled as "creepy" by some.
The design / visual of the icons were viewed as being dated and uninspiring. It was not very visible, with the white lettering on blue/grey background.
Several questioned the value or utility of having the icons on the poster as they did not feel it added information or positive imagery.
Summary and Conclusions
The Canada Dental Benefit garnered a lot of positive reaction (by potentially helping to alleviate the cost of dentist visits for children).
The ads would raise awareness of the Canada Dental Benefit but create many questions, specifically around eligibility (i.e. what would it take to qualify?) and coverage (i.e. what dental services are included?).
Any ad MUST clearly identify the Government of Canada and should use its well established brand (e.g. Canada watermark) especially if the intent is to drive traffic to the website - many are concerned about online scams and would be reticent to click on a link (most notably on social media sites).
The imagery used was well received; however, the most impactful were those that the participants found relatable such as the child with the missing tooth in the Smiles Concept poster.
The icons (tooth or smile) were not visually appealing nor impactful (in terms of message), many questioned its utility.
There is no clear 'winner' in terms of the two ad concepts among the English groups, but Quebec groups came out more strongly for "Deep Dive". Both have merits that appeal to different segments of parents. The Smiles concept was well liked for the relatable imagery and limited information provided (it raises interested as these parents want to know more), while the Detailed Dive concept was preferred by those parents who want the ads to provide as much information as possible.
The additional information provided in the Detailed Dive concept, combined with the more relatable images in the Smiles concept would have the largest impact on viewers of the ads.
The research in this wave focused on knowledge and application of food safety and preparation among children (11-12 years) and young adults (20-28 years). They were also asked to evaluate and provide reaction to video ads and posters.
Children, 11-12 years
Children spend time online participating in a variety of activities such as gaming, watching videos (e.g. sports, shows, movies, influencers, etc.) and looking for information.
Many online sites were mentioned, from YouTube/YouTube Kids (for videos) to Netflix (for movies), as well as many others including: Instagram, Discord, Scratch, Snapchat, and Google.
Most children claim they do not blindly accept that everything they see and hear online is reliable, true or credible; however, it is important to note that their parents were sitting next to them during the groups.
There was a wide variety of 'favourite foods' that were mentioned including: pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, spaghetti, steak, sushi, pancakes, scrambled eggs, muffins, salad, fried rice, French toast, mashed potatoes, stir fry and Kraft Dinner.
Moms (and to a lesser extent dads) were identified as the main person to make meals in the household. Most of the children claimed to make some meals themselves, help their parents cook or do both. Many of the children said it was fun to cook, while a few felt it was a chore.
"Always start with clean hands and surfaces." - 11-12 year old girls, Atlantic
Many of the children claimed to have learned (a few things) about handling food safely while a few readily admitted they have no knowledge in this area. Specific examples given included washing hands (most common), washing fruits and vegetables, cleaning surfaces, reading ingredients, checking expiry dates and cooking meat properly.
Many of the children admitted that they do not always or never follow food handling steps that they are aware of, usually as they forget or simply choose to ignore it.
Parents were the primary source of information for food handling and preparation. One child mentioned 'food safety' being discussed in school, while none mentioned they had learned about food handling and preparation from friends.
The rap video received mixed reviews from both English and French speaking children. Some found it fun and entertaining, while others found it 'cringy' or 'babyish'. Similarly, a few children said they would share it with a friend while many others said they would not.
"I liked that the video specifically tells you basic steps of what to do." - 11-2 year old boy, West/North
« Je la partagerais avec les adultes (les profs), mais pas avec mes amis." Ils penseraient que je regarde des cartoons bébés » (I would share with adults [teachers], but not with my friends. They would think I watch baby cartoons) - 11-12 year old boy, Quebec
A strong positive was that the key message (i.e. steps to take for safe food preparation and storage) from the video was clear and well understood by the children.
A summary of the likes and dislikes of the video are shown below:
|
Likes |
Dislikes |
|
✓ Fun, entertaining ✓ Clear and easy to understand ✓ Order of things to do ✓ Images and graphics ✓ Catchy rap song. Easy to remember |
× Too fast × Targets a younger audience than 11-12 year olds (baby-like animation) × Tone (cringy) × Prefer real kids and images vs. animation × Want to understand the "why" behind the food preparation measures |
The general observation from parents was that the message is important and good for children to know.
Most parents claimed that their children became more active in the kitchen considerably earlier in age (around 7 or 8 years old), and that the video would be useful at an earlier age.
Parents felt that the video was catchy and repetitive, which is good to reinforce the message with children. However, some parents also echoed their children's views that the video is more appropriate for a younger age, in fact, several parents in the French groups conceded that their children whispered to them that they felt the video was too young for them, even though they complimented it in the discussion.
Suggestions to raise interest in cooking/food preparation and actions that Health Canada could take include: create content for elementary school (e.g. posters, cooking courses), and develop an online food safety game (e.g. trivia).
Most children do basic cooking (or food preparation), some on their own but mostly with their parents. There is fairly widespread knowledge among the children that hand washing is important but other aspects of food handling and preparation are more limited, with limited mentions of washing vegetables or separating meats from vegetables. The children claimed they learned any safe kitchen practices from their parents.
Children had a mixed reaction to the rap video. Many (and most in the French groups) found the tone and delivery too young for themselves (11-12 years), while others enjoyed it. The message of the video was clear (keep in mind it was played twice for recall). Suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the video include:
Parents are the main source of knowledge for food handling and preparation. Increasing the reach of the food handling and preparation message could include:
Young Adults, 20-28 years
All of the young adults who participated in the groups regularly cook and prepare meals. Some cook meals daily (or almost daily), while others said they cook for the week on Sunday.
There is a wide variety of favourite foods (e.g. sushi, tacos, BBQ, seafood, pizza, etc.); some will cook these while others feel it takes too much effort (e.g. too many ingredients, messy, complicated, etc.).
Most enjoy cooking for an occasion, making a special dish or when they have time, but many stated it can be a chore, especially during the week (i.e. having to cook after getting home from work). Some of the reasons that cooking is enjoyable include:
Online sources are where young adults turn to for new food ideas: TikTok recipes (very popular among francophone participants), YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Google.
The young adults who participated in the focus groups were fairly to very knowledgeable about good food handling and preparation practices. The food safety practices mentioned included:
"I pay attention to food cleaning & washing. And try to avoid much procesed food in daily diet." - Young adult female, East
« Oui, je suis au courant, mais honnêtement je ne pense pas que je vais mourir parce que je n'ai pas lavé mes légumes comme il faut » (Yes, I'm aware, but honestly I don't think I'm going to die because I didn't wash my vegetables properly) - Young adult female, Quebec
Young adults typically learned about food handling and preparation from their parents and in school (e.g. Home Economics). A few mentioned that they learned good practices at work (e.g. nursing home, restaurant).
Several participants also clearly admitted that they don't follow all of these practices "religiously", especially food storage after cooking or using a meat thermometer.
« J'ai clairement préféré celle annonce là. Le message est clair, il y a une conséquence claire. La chanson était différente, attrayante et c'était juste très comique dans un bon sens. » (I much preferred this ad [Nuggets]. The message is clear. There's a clear consequence. The tune was different and it was funny in a good way) - Young adult female, Quebec
The Nuggets video was generally viewed as appealing (to Gen Z) and catchy by both English and French young adults due to the music and images.
Most picked up on the message that it is important to check that chicken is fully cooked or else there is a risk of getting sick, and several mentioned the link between the video and the issue with eating nuggets which were not properly cooked. However, a few participants said it was confusing and they inferred the wrong message (e.g. an ad for fast food) at first.
Some suggested areas to change include to:
"I think the key message was that it's important to make sure chicken is fully cooked." - Young adult female, East
"I like that it verbalized the health safety measures at the end of the video, and summarized them quickly so you get all the information from the ad without having to go anywhere else." - Young adult female, East
The Pink Chicken video was very well received by the English young adult groups. The general reaction was that this ad struck a good balance between humour and the important message of fully cooking chicken. However, while most in the French groups found it funny, they felt the message was unclear and the humour took away from the seriousness of the issue. Also, the fact that the video was in English with subtitles clearly took away from the comprehension of the message and the link between humour and the message.
The message was clear to most; pink (undercooked) chicken is dangerous and can result in food poisoning. Other positive reaction to the video included:
« Je suis tout à fait d'accord (qu'on ne comprend pas le message) et en plus je trouve ça bizarre en avoir une espèce d'image d'une mijoteuse réelle » - Young adult male, Quebec
Four posters were shown in order: #1 (Slow Cooker), #2 (Turkey), #3 (Cutting Boards), #4 (Chicken). In general, the young adult participants were underwhelmed by the series of posters. Some felt it was a 'safe' government type ad and was not captivating or attention grabbing (i.e. boring). Other feedback on the posters included:
"I liked that the video specifically tells you basic steps of what to do." - 11-12 year old boy, West/North
Poster #2 (Turkey) was generally viewed as the most effective as it was the clearest in terms of the message, i.e. use a thermometer to check the temperature of your turkey is at least 82C coming out of the over.
Recipe websites, Instagram and Facebook feeds and other online sites were suggested as options for these ads; however, most participants said they would not personally look at it (their preferred medium is video). It was suggested that posters at grocery stores or transit stations might be more effective.
Young adults are more likely to be engaged with video and streams than static content.
The Nuggets and Pink Chicken videos both caught the attention of young adults through the effective use of humour, music and imagery. The Pink Chicken video had more impact and resonated better with the English speaking young adults as it articulated clearly (and more effectively than the Nuggets video) the specific steps to take when cooking chicken, the consequences of not doing so, and where to get more information. While most French participants found the video funny, they also didn't see the link between the humour and the message, although the fact that the video was in English with subtitles also played a role in this.
Young adults will generally not click through to look for more information so the ad should be self-contained and present all of the key information in a logical and clear manner. Verbalization of the key messages appears to be an effective approach.
The posters in their current form do not have broad appeal to young participants. The captioning is needed for it to make sense, but this audience is not likely to take the time to read it. The tone (e.g. 'safe', use of drawings) is also not exciting and vibrant enough to capture their attention.
The best way to reach young adults with messages related to food safety is through online channels related to cooking, recipes and food (such as recipe websites, food blogs, etc.).
|
Cautionary interpretative note: Given the sensitive nature of the subject matter, the fact that several parents were in the room with the younger participants, and the fact that we must disclose the recording and the participation of Health Canada observers, there is a strong possibility that social desirability bias may have an impact on what the teen participants would say. Results should be interpreted with caution and not necessarily taken at face value. |
In the following section, feedback from teenagers on their experience with and perception of smoking and vaping is presented, along with their reaction to the tobacco cessation video advertisement.
Experience and Perceptions of Smoking and Vaping
Compared to older teens (16-18 years), English speaking teens in this age group are much less likely to know people who vape and smoke cigarettes. Only a couple of the English speaking 13-15 year olds know of school mates who vape, while older relatives were identified as smokers. In the French groups, most participants knew someone who vaped or smoked, including friends and/or family members.
"I would try to mind it but if it got really annoying, I would leave and tell one of my friends and leave it alone." - 13-15 year old male, East & West
Many of 13-15 year olds felt that both smoking and vaping are equally harmful to health but were unsure of details.
School and online ad (e.g. YouTube) are the most common ways in which teens learn about the harms of smoking and vaping. Many participants talked about peer pressure and how they felt urged on by friends to try vaping.
« Je suis curieuse, je crois qu'un jour je l'essayerais probablement » (I'm curious. I think one day I'll probably try it.) - 13-15 year old female, Quebec
When asked what their reaction would be if someone vaped in front of them, responses included annoyance, confusion (why?), walking away/leaving and telling the person to stop. Most French-language participants said that they were bothered, but were afraid to speak up.
Virtually all English speaking 13-15 year olds said they would not consider vaping, while several French-speaking participants indicated that they may try it.
Virtually all teens in this age group know people who vape; they are also much more likely to know people who smoke cigarettes. Friends and/or family members are more likely to be smokers while other teens (mostly at school) are likely to be vaping.
The consensus view is that smoking is more harmful than vaping, with acknowledgement that vaping does have negative health effects.
« Je ne suis pas trop dérangé quand c'est une vapoteuse mais ça me dérange lorsque c'est une cigarette » (I'm not too bothered when it's vaping, but it bugs me when it's a cigarette) - 16-18 year old male, Quebec
Most participants said it is commonplace for (other) teens to vape in public. Reaction if someone was to vape directly in front of them include:
Several of these teens admitted they have thought about vaping in the future, and several French-language teens also admitted to having tried vaping, although none said that they continue to vape.
"If a friend offered to let me hit theirs then maybe (depends on the flavor though LOL)." - 16-18 year old female, East
Influence of friends, interesting flavours and curiosity (as it is commonplace) were cited as reasons they would consider vaping.
Reaction to Smoking Cessation Video
The main takeaway that 13-15 year olds had was that there are many, or multiple ways to quit smoking. They identified the target audience for the ad as smokers and adults. The imagery was not relatable and did not resonate with these teens; they saw older adults and smokers, not themselves.
Several participants mentioned that the ad portrays vaping as less harmful, or not as bad as smoking, as they viewed it as being presented as an alternative to smoking. Some were even confused by this message. However, most claimed the ad did not change their views on the harmfulness of vaping and no one felt the ad explicitly promoted vaping.
Almost all these younger teens said they would not be more likely to try vaping after watching the ad (i.e. they claimed the ad had no influence on them), although several French-language participants thought that the ad would influence others in their age group by communicating that vaping was less harmful than smoking.
The takeaways that 16-18 year olds identified include:
They felt that the ad targets adults and that the imagery is not relatable (older people). Some participants believed the ad promoted vaping and used these precise words. Many felt it suggests vaping is a better but not necessarily healthier alternative to smoking. This led to a few teens stating the ad made them feel vaping was less harmful, though most said their opinion was the same as before.
A few participants questioned the link between the Government of Canada logo and the fact that vaping was communicated as a better alternative, almost saying they thought the Government was condoning or giving license to vape.
None of these participants claimed the ad would have any impact on their interest in trying vaping, as their views (that vaping is bad for you) were well established prior to the ad. Several participants did have the opinion that the ad could influence "more vulnerable" teens.
Summary and Conclusions
Most teens, especially 16-18 year olds, are exposed (know of others) who vape, and to a lesser extent smoke. Teen-participants of all ages are aware that smoking and vaping have negative and harmful effects on health. The younger teens (13-15 year olds) were less sure about the difference in health effects between the two.
Some teens (more so those in the 16-18 year age group) are open to the idea of trying vaping despite their knowledge of the health risks, and several had already tried it. Influencers include friends, interesting flavours and the fact it is a common occurrence in their social settings (such as school).
The ad was effective in communicating the message that there are different options for quitting smoking. However, many participants, particularly the older ones, expressed the opinion that the ad communicated that vaping is a preferable alternative to smoking (although not necessarily healthier); a few even thinking that the ad was "promoting" vaping. Many participants expressed their view that they felt this was not a good message to communicate, with a few participants questioning the appropriateness of the Government of Canada logo at the end.
Participants claimed that the ad did not have any material influence on their likelihood or interest in trying vaping, as their mind was already made up about vaping.
This qualitative research project employed online focus groups for all three waves. The project complied with the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research - Qualitative Research ("the Standards") , which can be found at https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/rop-por/rechqual-qualres-eng.html .
All of the focus groups were conducted using Zoom, utilizing the video, audio and chat functions. The target populations for the three waves were members of the Canadian public representing different age groups: 11-12 years, 13-15 years, 16-18 years, 20-28 years, and 25-54 years (parents of children 12 years or younger). All participants were informed that the groups would be recorded and their consent was obtained during recruitment, and again by the moderator prior to the start of the groups. They were also informed that representatives from Health Canada and/or the Government of Canada would be observing the focus groups.
The recruiting screeners (approved by the Health Canada project authority) used in each wave are presented in Appendix 1. 1. The focus groups participants were recruited in adherence to the Government of Canada's standards on recruitment as outlined at http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/rop-por/rechqual-qualres-eng.html#s5.2 , including:
All of the materials (English and French) that were shared and tested with participants are provided in Appendix 2. Moderator guides (provided in Appendix 3), approved by the Health Canada project authority, were used for all groups in all waves to ensure that specific topic areas and questions were covered in the discussions, and that specific materials were tested in the correct order.
|
Please note that qualitative research is directional in nature and results cannot be inferred to any wider population. It is designed to reveal a rich range of opinions and interpretations rather than to measure how many of the target population holds a given opinion. These results must not be used to estimate the numeric proportion or number of individuals in the population who hold a particular opinion because they are not statistically projectable. |
Further details for each of the three waves are presented below.
This first wave of the research, which took place November 1-2, 2022, consisted of four online (Zoom) focus groups; two each in English and French. All groups lasted 90 minutes.
The target population was the Canadian public who met the following criteria:
The composition of the focus groups is shown in the table below.
| Date and Time | Language | # of Participants | Gender | Age range | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 1 4:00-5:30pm |
English | 7 |
|
|
|
|
November 1 |
French |
8 |
|
|
|
|
November 2 |
French |
10 |
|
|
|
|
November 2 |
English |
8 |
|
|
|
Two creative concepts ("Smiles" and "Deep Dive") were tested in the focus groups. For each concept, focus group participants were shown a video, mobile storyboard and a poster. An alternative poster comparison was also tested at the end of each focus group. In order to control for any possible order biasFootnote 1, the ad concepts and executions were presented in a different order to each group (rotated), i.e. Concept 1/Concept 2 (video, social media, poster) in one group, then Concept 2/Concept 1 (social media, video, poster) in the next group.
This second wave of the research, which took place February 6-8, 2023, consisted of nine online (Zoom) focus groups; six in English and three in French. Of these, six groups were with children and three with young adults. The length of the focus groups was based on the age of the participants: 60 minutes for children and 90 minutes for young adults.
There were two target populations for these focus groups:
The composition of the focus groups is shown in the table below.
| Date and Time | Language | # of Participants | Gender | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Children: 11-12 years old |
||||
|
February 6 |
English |
10 |
|
|
|
February 6 |
English |
9 |
|
|
|
February 7 |
French |
9 |
|
|
|
February 7 |
French |
10 |
|
|
|
February 7 |
English |
9 |
|
|
|
February 8 |
English |
10 |
|
|
|
Young Adults: 20-28 years old |
||||
|
February 6 |
English |
9 |
|
|
|
February 8 |
French |
9 |
|
|
|
February 8 |
English |
9 |
|
|
The focus groups tested advertising materials related to food safety targeting children and young adults. Children were shown a rap video while young adults were shown two videos ("Nuggets" and "Pink Chicken") as well as a series of poster on food safety ("See Safe. Be Safe").
This third and final wave of the research, which took place February 15-16, 2023, consisted of five online (Zoom) focus groups; three in English and two in French. All groups were 60 minutes in length and conducted with teenagers.
There focus groups were split by younger and older teens:
The composition of the focus groups is shown in the table below.
| Date and Time | Language | # of Participants | Gender | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Teens: 13-15 years old |
||||
|
February 15 |
French |
10 |
|
|
|
February 15 |
English |
10 |
|
|
|
Teens: 16-18 years old |
||||
|
February 15 |
English |
10 |
|
|
|
February 15 |
French |
9 |
|
|
|
February 16 |
English |
10 |
|
|
For these focus groups, a single video on tobacco cessation was shown to all groups.
Recruitment questionnaire
Canada Dental Benefit
Group definition
|
EAST-English |
East French |
WEST/NORTH English |
|
|
Households' w/revenues<90k With kids<12 years old 50% have no dental insurance |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
|
Group 6 |
|
Group # |
Region/Language |
Subject |
Date |
Time (EDT) |
Moderator |
|
1 |
EAST-English |
Dental |
Nov 1 |
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
David Ang |
|
2 |
EAST-French |
Dental |
Nov 1 |
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
Norm Baillie-David |
|
3 |
WEST/North-English |
Dental |
Nov. 2 |
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. |
David Ang |
|
6 |
EAST-French |
Dental |
Nov. 2 |
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
Norm Baillie-David |
Quotas per region
|
EAST-English |
Group |
Quotas per group |
|
|
Newfoundland |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Prince Edward Island |
|||
|
Nova Scotia |
|||
|
New Brunswick |
|||
|
Quebec |
3 |
||
|
Ontario |
4 |
||
|
EAST-French |
2, 6 |
||
|
Newfoundland |
2 |
||
|
Prince Edward Island |
|||
|
Nova Scotia |
|||
|
New Brunswick |
|||
|
Quebec |
6 |
||
|
Ontario |
2 |
||
|
WEST/NORTH English |
3 |
||
|
British Columbia |
4 |
||
|
Alberta |
2 |
||
|
Saskatchewan |
2 |
||
|
Manitoba |
1 |
||
|
Northern Territories |
1 |
QUOTA: 10 per group
Hello, this is _______________ calling on behalf of Tele-Surveys Plus, a national public opinion research firm. We are contacting you today because we are organizing a series of focus groups . The groups will be held on a video conference platform (Zoom, if asked).
The main objective of this research is to evaluate communication material developed for the federal government, specifically Health Canada. We are looking for people who would be willing to participate in a 90-minute online focus group. Up to 10 people will be taking part and you would be paid $125 for your time. The groups will be held between November 1 and 2, 2022, between 4:00 pm and 8:30 pm.
Q1. Would you be interested in participating?
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
03 |
Terminate |
Individual results are always anonymous and kept confidential. Your participation in the research is completely voluntary and the purpose is to understand the opinions and experiences of Canadians not to sell any service or product. The sessions will be audio and video recorded for research purposes. Representatives of Health Canada will also be observing the discussions but will not have access to any of your private information. The full names of participants will not be provided to the government or any other third party. Also, the results from the discussions will be grouped together in a report, which will contain nonidentifying information.
Before we go further, I would like to ask you a few questions so I can verify your eligibility and in which group we should invite you if you are eligible.
Group 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 only
Q2. Do you have private dental insurance for yourself and your family, either through an employer, pension plan, or individual benefits plan?
|
Yes |
01 |
50% in Group 1,2,3,6 |
|
No |
02 |
50% in Group 1,2,3,6 |
|
Prefer not to answer |
03 |
Terminate |
Group 4, 5, 6 only
Q3. Do you have children under the age of 12 years old (12 excluded)?
|
Yes |
01 |
100% in Group 1, 2, 3, 6 |
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Prefer not to answer |
03 |
Terminate |
Q4. Would you be willing to tell me in which of the following age categories you belong?
Q5. What gender do you identify as:
|
Male |
01 |
A mix |
|
Female |
02 |
|
|
Other |
03 |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
99 |
Q6. In which province or territory do you live?
Newfoundland and Labrador 1
Nova Scotia 2
New Brunswick 3
Prince Edward Island 4
Quebec 5
Ontario 6
Manitoba 7
Saskatchewan 8
Alberta 9
British Columbia 10
Nunavut 11
Northwest Territories 12
Yukon 13
Outside of Canada (term)
TERMINATE if French and West/North
Q7. Would you say you live in an urban area or a rural area?
|
Urban (in a city or large town) |
1 |
ENSURE GOOD MIX IN EACH GROUP |
|
Rural (outside a city or large town) |
2 |
Q8. What is the total income of your household before taxes?
|
Under $ 45,000 |
01 |
|
|
Between $45,001 and $90,000 |
02 |
|
|
Between $90,001 and $120,000 |
03 |
Terminate |
|
Over 120,001 |
04 |
Terminate |
|
Prefer not to answer |
09 |
Terminate |
Q9. Do you or anyone in your in your family work for:
|
Yes |
No |
|
|
Health Canada, your provincial ministry of health, or a government healthcare agency |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
A dental office or dental practitioner |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The advertising or public relations industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The marketing research or media industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
Q10. What is your current employment status?
Working full-time 1
Working part-time 2
Self-employed 3
Retired 4
Unemployed 5
Student 6
Other 7
Prefer not to answer 9 TERMINATE
Q11. What is the highest level of education that you have completed
Some high school only 1
Completed high school 2
Some Cegep / College 3
Completed Cegep / College 4
Some university 5
Completed university 6
Post-graduate studies 7
Prefer not to answer 9 TERMINATE
Q12.What is your racial and/or ethnic background? [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.]
Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, African Canadian descent) 1
East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese descent) 2
Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) 3
Latin American (Hispanic descent) 4
Middle Eastern (West Asian or North African descent,
e.g. Afghan, Egyptian, Iranian 5
South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean descent) 6
Southeast Asian (Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai descent) 7
White (European descent) 8
Other
Prefer not to answer 9
Q13.Participants in these types of sessions are asked to voice their opinions and thoughts. How comfortable are you in voicing your opinions? Are you…
|
Very comfortable |
|
|
Comfortable |
|
|
Not very comfortable |
Terminate |
|
Very uncomfortable |
Terminate |
Q14a. Have you participated in a qualitative research (individual interviews or focus groups) project in the past 6 months?
|
Yes |
01 |
Terminate |
|
No |
02 |
|
|
Do not know |
03 |
Terminate |
Q14b. In the past 5 years, in how many qualitative research projects have you participated in? __________ Exact number or don't know (term)
|
None |
00 |
|
|
From 1 to 5 |
01 |
|
|
More than 5 |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
03 |
Terminate |
Q15. Do you have access to a tablet, or a computer equipped with high-speed internet and working camera and audio, outside of the ones provided by a school? Note: you will not be able to connect to the session via material provided by an educational institution.
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
03 |
Terminate |
Q16. The groups will be recorded on video for reporting purposes, are you comfortable with this practice?
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
03 |
Terminate |
PRIVACY QUESTIONS
Now I have a few other questions that relate to privacy, your personal information and the research process. We will need your consent on a few issues that enable us to conduct our research. As I run through these questions, please feel free to ask me any questions you would like clarified.
P1) First, we will be providing a list of respondents' first names and profiles (screener responses) to the moderator so that they can sign you into the group. Do we have your permission to do this? I assure you it will be kept strictly confidential.
Yes 1 GO TO P2
No 2 READ EXPLANATION BELOW; GO TO P1A
We need to provide the first names and background of the people attending the focus group because only the individuals invited are allowed in the session and this information is necessary for verification purposes. Please be assured that this information will be kept strictly confidential. GO TO P1A
P1a) Now that I've explained this, do I have your permission to provide your first name and profile?
Yes 1 GO TO P2
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
P2) A recording of the group session will be produced for research purposes. The recordings will be used by the research professional to assist in preparing a report on the research findings and may be used by the Government of Canada to inform their work in this subject area.
Do you agree to be recorded for research and reporting purposes only?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO P3
No 2 READ EXPLANATION BELOW; GO TO P2A
It is necessary for the research process for us to record the session as the researchers need this material to complete the report.
P2a) Now that I've explained this, do I have your permission for recording?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO P3
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
P3) Employees from the Government of Canada and the creative agency working with the Government of Canada to develop the advertising campaign may also be online to observe the groups.
Do you agree to be observed by Government of Canada employees and employees of the creative agency?
Yes 1 THANK; GO TO INVITATION
No 2 READ EXPLANATION; GO TO P3A
It is standard qualitative procedure to invite clients, in this case, Government of Canada employees, and employees of the creative agency hired to develop an advertising campaign by the Government of Canada, to observe the groups online. They will be there simply to hear your opinions firsthand although they may take their own notes and confer with the moderator on occasion to discuss whether there are any additional questions to ask the group.
P3a) Do you agree to be observed by Government of Canada employees and employees of the creative agency?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO INVITATION
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
Thank you so much for answering these questions.
You are eligible to participate in a focus group happening on October /November xx at time xx.
OR
At the moment, we have recruited enough participants that corresponds to your profile. We will contact you if we have any cancellations.
The next steps are as follows:
If at any moment, you realize that you are unable to make it to the group, please send an email at xx and we will replace you. Note that you cannot send another person in your place
We will call you on the following date….to ask a few additional questions. Please provide a cell phone where you be easily reached. ________________________
Opt-out?
You will receive an email invitation on the day before the group with a xx link and you will need to confirm your presence. Can I confirm your email address so that we can send you the link to the online discussion group? ______________________________
We ask that you login a few minutes early to be sure you are able to connect and to test your sound (speaker and microphone). If you require glasses for reading, please make sure you have them handy as well.
As we are only inviting a small number of people, your participation is very important to us.
You will receive a copy of the link on the day of the focus group just in case you cannot find the one previously sent.
We thank you for participating in this study.
Youth Products Marketing Validation
Wave 2- Food Safety
Recruiting Questionnaire
|
Group # |
Region/Language |
Target Audience |
Date (tbc) |
Time (EST) (tbc) |
Moderator |
|
1 |
Atlantic English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 6 |
3:30-4:30 p.m. |
David |
|
2 |
ON/ QC English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 6 |
4:30-5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
3 |
East English |
20 - 28 years old |
Feb 6 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
David |
|
4 |
East-French |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 7 |
4:30-5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
5 |
East-French |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 7 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
Norm |
|
6 |
East-French |
20 - 28 years old |
Feb 8 |
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
7 |
West/North English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 7 |
7:30-8:30 p.m. |
David |
|
8 |
West/North English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 8 |
7:30-8:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
9 |
West/North English |
20 - 28 years old |
Feb 8 |
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. |
David |
QUOTA: 10 per group for 6-8 participants
Group definition
|
EAST-English |
East French |
WEST English |
|
|
11-12 years old |
Group 1,2 |
Group 4,5 |
Group 7,8 |
|
20-28 years old |
Group 3 |
Group 6 |
Group 9 |
Quotas per region
|
EAST-English |
Group |
|
|
Newfoundland |
1, 2, 3 A representative mix |
|
|
Prince Edward Island |
||
|
Nova Scotia |
||
|
New Brunswick |
||
|
Quebec |
||
|
Ontario |
||
|
EAST-French |
4, 5, 6 A representative mix |
|
|
Newfoundland |
||
|
Prince Edward Island |
||
|
Nova Scotia |
||
|
New Brunswick |
||
|
Quebec |
||
|
Ontario |
||
|
WEST English |
7, 8, 9 A representative mix |
|
|
British Columbia |
||
|
Alberta |
||
|
Saskatchewan |
||
|
Manitoba |
||
|
Territories |
Hello, my name is____ and I am calling from Tele-Surveys Plus, a national market research company. We are conducting a series of online group discussions from <INSERT DATE> to <INSERT DATE> on behalf of the Government of Canada, specifically Health Canada. Let me assure you that we are not trying to sell you anything.
Would you prefer that I continue in English or French? / Préférez-vous continuer en français ou anglais? -
NOTE TO RECRUITERS: if someone from the Quebec region asks to participate in English, or if someone from another region outside Quebec asks to participate in French, please include them in a group in their preferred language in the nearest time zone to where they live.
We would like to speak with someone 20 to 28 years old OR the parent or guardian of a child aged 11-12 years old regarding these group discussions. Would that be you? IF SO, CONTINUE. IF NO, ASK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND REINTRODUCE YOURSELF. IF NO ONE IS ELIGIBLE, THANK & TERMINATE.
The purpose of this study is to hear young people's views on communication materials developed for the federal government. Participation in this research is voluntary and completely anonymous and confidential. Those who qualify and take part in the group discussion will receive a financial incentive in appreciation for their time. The groups will take place between February 6 and February 8. Is this something you and/or your child might be interested in?
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
S1. Just to confirm, are you between the ages of 20 to 28, or a parent/guardian of a child 11 to 12 years old that lives with you all or most of the time, or both?
|
Aged 20 to 28 |
1 |
|
|
Parent of a child 11 - 12 yrs old |
2 |
|
|
Both |
3 |
|
|
None of the above |
9 |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
[IF S1=1] Do you live on your own, with a partner or roommate, or at home with your parents?
|
On my own |
01 |
|
|
With a partner or room mates |
02 |
|
|
With my parent(s) |
03 |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
S2. May I ask you a few quick questions to see if you or your child is the type of participant we are looking for? This should take about 10 minutes. The information you provide will remain confidential and you are free to opt out at any time.
To begin, do you or anyone in your household currently work or have worked in any of the following areas?
|
Yes |
No |
|
|
Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, or your provincial ministry of health |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada or your provincial ministry of agriculture |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
Any agriculture association, food marketing board or agency. |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The advertising or public relations industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The marketing research or media industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The food processing industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
As a dietician or nutritionist |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The non-alcoholic beverage industry |
01-Terminate |
02 |
Q1. How old are you? _______exact age
|
19 years old or under |
01 |
Terminate |
|
20 years old |
02 |
Strive for a mix |
|
21 years old |
03 |
|
|
22 years old |
04 |
|
|
23 years old |
05 |
|
|
24 years old |
06 |
|
|
25 years old |
07 |
|
|
26 years old |
08 |
|
|
27 years old |
09 |
|
|
28 years old |
10 |
|
|
29 years old and over |
11 |
Terminate if not a parent of a child 11 - 12 yrs |
|
Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Terminate |
Go to Q2 if not a parent:
Q1P. How old is your child (the 11- or 12-year-old)? _______exact age
Q2. What gender do you identify as?
|
Male |
01 |
A mix |
|
Female |
02 |
|
|
Other, specify |
97 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Go to Q3 if not a parent:
Q2P. What gender does your child identify as?
|
Male |
01 |
A mix |
|
Female |
02 |
|
|
Other, specify |
97 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Q3. In which province or territory do you live?
|
Newfoundland and Labrador |
01 |
|
|
Nova Scotia |
02 |
|
|
New Brunswick |
03 |
|
|
Prince Edward Island |
04 |
|
|
Quebec |
05 |
|
|
Ontario |
06 |
|
|
Manitoba |
07 |
|
|
Saskatchewan |
08 |
|
|
Alberta |
09 |
|
|
British Columbia |
10 |
|
|
Nunavut |
11 |
|
|
Northwest Territories |
12 |
|
|
Yukon |
13 |
|
|
Outside of Canada |
97 |
Terminate |
Q4. What is your current employment status?
|
Working full-time |
01 |
|
Working part-time |
02 |
|
Self-employed |
03 |
|
Retired |
04 |
|
Unemployed |
05 |
|
Student |
06 |
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Q5. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
|
Some high school only |
01 |
|
|
Completed high school |
02 |
|
|
Some Cegep / College |
03 |
|
|
Completed Cegep / College |
04 |
|
|
Some university |
05 |
|
|
Completed university |
06 |
|
|
Post-graduate studies |
07 |
|
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Go to Q6P if a parent
Q6. To make sure that we speak to a diversity of people, could you tell me what is your racial and/or ethnic background?
DO NOT READ - CODE ALL THAT APPLY
|
Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, African Canadian descent) |
01 |
|
East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese descent) |
02 |
|
Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) |
03 |
|
Latin American (Hispanic descent) |
04 |
|
Middle Eastern (West Asian or North African descent, e.g. Afghan, Egyptian, Iranian) |
05 |
|
South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean descent) |
06 |
|
Southeast Asian (Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai descent) |
07 |
|
White (European descent) |
08 |
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Go to Q7 if not a parent
Q6P. What is your child's racial and/or ethnic background?
DO NOT READ - CODE ALL THAT APPLY
|
Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, African Canadian descent) |
01 |
|
East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese descent) |
02 |
|
Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) |
03 |
|
Latin American (Hispanic descent) |
04 |
|
Middle Eastern (West Asian or North African descent, e.g. Afghan, Egyptian, Iranian) |
05 |
|
South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean descent) |
06 |
|
Southeast Asian (Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai descent) |
07 |
|
White (European descent) |
08 |
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Q7. What is the total income of your household before taxes?
|
Under $ 45,000 |
01 |
|
Between $45,001 and $90,000 |
02 |
|
Between $90,001 and $120,000 |
03 |
|
Over 120,001 |
04 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Don't know |
99 |
Q8. Have you participated in a qualitative research (individual interviews or focus groups) project in the past 6 months?
|
Yes |
01 |
Terminate |
|
No |
02 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Don't know |
99 |
Terminate |
Q9. In the past 5 years, in how many qualitative research projects have you participated in? __________ Exact number
|
None |
01 |
|
|
From 1 to 5 |
02 |
|
|
More than 5 |
03 |
Terminate |
|
[DO NOT READ] Don't know |
99 |
Terminate |
Q10. Do you have access to a tablet, or a computer equipped with high-speed internet and working camera and audio, outside of the ones provided by a school? Note: you will not be able to connect to the session via material provided by an educational institution.
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
99 |
Terminate |
Q11 The groups will be recorded on video for reporting purposes, are you comfortable with this practice?
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
99 |
Terminate |
PRIVACY QUESTIONS (All Participants)
Now I have a few other questions that relate to privacy, your personal information and the research process. We will need your consent on a few issues that enable us to conduct our research. As I run through these questions, please feel free to ask me any questions you would like clarified.
P1) First, we will be providing a list of respondents' first names and profiles (screener responses) to the moderator so that they can sign you into the group. Do we have your permission to do this? I assure you it will be kept strictly confidential.
Yes 1 GO TO P2
No 2 READ EXPLANATION BELOW; GO TO P1A
We need to provide the first names and background of the people attending the focus group because only the individuals invited are allowed in the session and this information is necessary for verification purposes. Please be assured that this information will be kept strictly confidential. GO TO P1A
P1a) Now that I've explained this, do I have your permission to provide your first name and profile?
Yes 1 GO TO P2
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
P2) A recording of the group session will be produced for research purposes. The recordings will be used by the research professional to assist in preparing a report on the research findings.
Do you agree to be recorded for research and reporting purposes only?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO P3
No 2 READ EXPLANATION BELOW; GO TO P2A
It is necessary for the research process for us to record the session as the researchers need this material to complete the report.
P2a) Now that I've explained this, do I have your permission for recording?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO P3
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
P3) Employees from the Government of Canada may also be online to observe the groups.
Do you agree to be observed by Government of Canada employees?
Yes 1 THANK; GO TO INVITATION
No 2 READ EXPLANATION; GO TO P3A
It is standard procedure for focus groups like this to invite the organization requesting the research, in this case, Government of Canada employees, to observe the groups online. They will be there simply to hear your opinions firsthand, although they may take their own notes and confer with the moderator on occasion to discuss whether there are any additional questions to ask the group.
P3a) Do you agree to be observed by Government of Canada employees?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO INVITATION
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
20-28 YEAR OLD INVITATION
Thank you so much for answering these questions.
We would like to invite you to take part in the focus group discussion which will be scheduled on <INSERT DATE> from <INSERT TIME> to <INSERT TIME>. The session will last about one and a half hours. After the session, we would send you $125 in appreciation for your participation.
PARENTAL CONSENT AND CHILD AGREEMENT - ASK ONLY OF PARENTS
PC1. Thank you for your responses. In a minute we would like to ask your child a few short questions before inviting them to take part in the focus group discussion which will be scheduled on <INSERT DATE> from <INSERT TIME> to <INSERT TIME>. You are free to listen in. The session will last about one hour. After the session, we would send you $75 and another $75 in the form of your preference, either as a cash deposit or gift card to be given to your child, in appreciation for their participation.
Your child's participation in this focus group is voluntary and they do not have to answer any question that feels uncomfortable. I'd also like to remind you that the focus group discussion is anonymous and that the information your child provides during the group discussion will not be linked with their name on any document.
Are you comfortable with your child taking part in this focus group if they are interested?
Yes 1
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
PC2. Will you AND your child be available to take part in the focus group discussion being held on <INSERT DATE> from <INSERT TIME> to <INSERT TIME>?
Yes 1
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
PC3. We would need your written consent for their participation. You will need to email back the signed consent form before the focus group. May we have your email address to send the consent form? The signed form will be required for your child to take part in the session and receive the incentive.
[RECORD EMAIL AND VERIFY] _________________________________
PC4. We would like to speak with your child at this time if this is possible. We will inform them of the format for the session, let them know that they will receive $75 after the session, and ask for their interest in taking part. We will also ensure that they are comfortable with sharing their opinions with others similar aged children in a group setting. May we speak with your child to see if they would like to participate and could you tell me their name?
[If yes] Thank you. This should take only a couple of minutes and we will need to speak with you again right after to provide you with the login instructions.
Yes 1
No 2 SCHEDULE A CALL BACK OR THANK & TERMINATE
CA1. Hello________, my name is____ from Tele-Surveys Plus, a research company. We are working on a project for the government, and we are looking for your opinions about food safety. We would like to show you some different messages including posters, social media messages, and maybe a video. We'd like your help to choose which images and messages they should use.
We just spoke to your parent/guardian, and they think you might be interested in sharing your opinion about this topic with other people your age. This session would be conducted online and there would be an adult leading the discussion and asking the questions - much the same way as for an online class. You would need to stay for the entire session which will last about one hour. To thank you for taking part and answering the questions, we will give you $75 in cash or a gift card, depending on what your parent prefers.
Is this something you would like to do?
Yes 1
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
CA2. As I mentioned, you will need to answer questions and express your opinions with the other participants your age. How comfortable are you to express your opinions with others?
|
Very comfortable |
1 |
|
|
A little comfortable |
2 |
|
|
Not very comfortable |
3 |
THANK & TERMINATE |
|
Not at all comfortable |
4 |
THANK & TERMINATE |
|
[Do NOT READ] Don't know |
9 |
THANK & TERMINATE |
Thank you. We look forward to hearing your opinions. Can we speak with your parent or guardian again to give them the instructions to join the session?
ALL PARTICIPANTS
The next steps are as follows:
If at any moment, you realize that you are unable to make it to the group, please send an email to field@tsp.ca and we will replace you. Note that you cannot send another person in your place.
So that we can call you to remind you about the focus group or contact you should there be any changes, can you please confirm your name and contact information for me?
First Name: ____________________________________________
Last Name: ____________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________
For Parents: May I also have your child's name:
First Name: ____________________________________________
Last Name: ____________________________________________
You will receive an email invitation before the group with a link and you will need to confirm your presence.
Would you like to receive the incentive as a gift card, by check or e-transfer?
Gift card................................................................................ 1
E-transfer 2
Check 3..
E-TRANSFER: We will send the e-transfer or gift card to the email address you have given us. Just to confirm the payment will go to:
<Recalled name and E-Mail> Is this correct? (Please allow 1 week for arrival after the interview.)
Yes, it is correct 1
No. This is not correct (ENTER CORRECTED INFORMATION) 2
CHEQUE : Please confirm your full name and mailing address so that we can send you the cheque once you have completed the session.(Please allow 2-3 weeks for arrival after the interview.)
First Name : ___________________________
Last Name : ___________________________
Address : ______________________________
City : _________________________________
Province : ______________________________
Postal Code : ____________________________
COMPLETION: We ask that you login a few minutes early to be sure you are able to connect and to test your sound (speaker and microphone). If you require glasses for reading, please make sure you have them handy as well.
As we are only inviting a small number of people, your participation is very important to us. We thank you for participating in this study.
Youth Products Marketing Validation
Wave 3- Vaping
Recruiting Questionnaire
|
Group # |
Region/Language |
Target Audience |
Date (tbc) |
Time (EST) (tbc) |
Moderator |
|
1 |
East & West English |
13 - 15 years old |
Feb 15 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
Dave |
|
2 |
East French |
13 - 15 years old |
Feb 15 |
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. |
Norm |
|
3 |
East French |
16 - 18 years old |
Feb 15 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
Norm |
|
4 |
East-English |
16 - 18 years old |
Feb 15 |
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. |
Dave |
|
5 |
West/North English |
16 - 18 years old |
Feb 16 |
9:00 - 10:00 p.m. |
Norm |
QUOTA: 10 per group for 6-8 participants
Group definition
|
EAST / West English |
EAST-English |
East French |
WEST English |
|
|
13-15 years old |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
||
|
16-18 years old |
Group 4 |
Group 3 |
Group 5 |
Quotas per region
|
EAST-English |
Group |
|
|
Newfoundland/Labrador |
1, 4 A representative mix |
|
|
Prince Edward Island |
||
|
Nova Scotia |
||
|
New Brunswick |
||
|
Quebec |
||
|
Ontario |
||
|
EAST-French |
2, 3 A representative mix |
|
|
Newfoundland/Labrador |
||
|
Prince Edward Island |
||
|
Nova Scotia |
||
|
New Brunswick |
||
|
Quebec |
||
|
Ontario |
||
|
WEST/North English |
1, 5 A representative mix |
|
|
British Columbia |
||
|
Alberta |
||
|
Saskatchewan |
||
|
Manitoba |
||
|
Territories |
Hello, my name is____ and I am calling from Tele-Surveys Plus, a national market research company. We are conducting a series of online group discussions from <INSERT DATE> to <INSERT DATE> on behalf of the Government of Canada, specifically Health Canada. Let me assure you that we are not trying to sell you anything.
Would you prefer that I continue in English or French? / Préférez-vous continuer en français ou anglais?
NOTE TO RECRUITERS: if someone from the Quebec region asks to participate in English, or if someone from another region outside Quebec asks to participate in French, please include them in a group in their preferred language in the nearest time zone to where they live.
We would like to speak with someone 16 to 18 years old OR the parent or guardian of a child aged 13-15 years old regarding these group discussions. Would that be you? IF SO, CONTINUE. IF NO, ASK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND REINTRODUCE YOURSELF. IF NO ONE IS ELIGIBLE, THANK & TERMINATE.
The purpose of this study is to hear young people's views on tobacco and vaping communication materials developed for the federal government. Participation in this research is voluntary and completely anonymous and confidential. Those who qualify and take part in the group discussion will receive a financial incentive in appreciation for their time. The groups will take place between February 15 and February 16. Is this something you and/or your child might be interested in?
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
S1. Just to confirm, are you between the ages of 16 to 18, or a parent/guardian of a child 13 to 15 years old that lives with you all or most of the time, or both?
|
Aged 16 to 18 |
1 |
|
|
Parent of a child 13 - 15 yrs old |
2 |
|
|
None of the above |
9 |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
GO TO S2b if not a parent
S2. Has your child ever vaped or used tobacco?
|
Yes |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
|
|
No |
S2b. Have you ever vaped or used tobacco?
|
Yes |
THANK AND TERMINATE |
|
|
No |
S3. May I ask you a few quick questions to see if you or your child is the type of participant we are looking for? This should take about 10 minutes. The information you provide will remain confidential and you are free to opt out at any time.
To begin, do you or anyone in your household currently work or have worked in any of the following areas?
|
Yes |
No |
|
|
Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, your provincial ministry of health, or any other public health agency |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The Health Care sector (hospitals, medical clinics and/or laboratories) |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
Production, distribution or sale of tobacco, cannabis, and/or vaping products |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The advertising or public relations industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
|
The marketing research or media industry |
01 Terminate |
02 |
Q1. How old are you? _______exact age
|
15 years old or under |
01 |
Terminate |
|
16 years old |
02 |
Strive for a mix |
|
17 years old |
03 |
|
|
18 years old |
04 |
|
|
19 years old and over |
05 |
Terminate if not a parent |
|
Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Terminate |
Go to Q2 if not a parent:
Q1P. How old is your child (the 13- to 15-year-old)? _______exact age
Q2. What gender do you identify as?
|
Male |
01 |
A mix |
|
Female |
02 |
|
|
Other, specify |
97 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Go to Q3 if not a parent:
Q2P. What gender does your child identify as?
|
Male |
01 |
A mix |
|
Female |
02 |
|
|
Other, specify |
97 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Q3. In which province or territory do you live?
|
Newfoundland and Labrador |
01 |
|
|
Nova Scotia |
02 |
|
|
New Brunswick |
03 |
|
|
Prince Edward Island |
04 |
|
|
Quebec |
05 |
|
|
Ontario |
06 |
|
|
Manitoba |
07 |
|
|
Saskatchewan |
08 |
|
|
Alberta |
09 |
|
|
British Columbia |
10 |
|
|
Nunavut |
11 |
|
|
Northwest Territories |
12 |
|
|
Yukon |
13 |
|
|
Outside of Canada |
97 |
Terminate |
Q4. What is your current employment status?
|
Working full-time |
01 |
|
Working part-time |
02 |
|
Self-employed |
03 |
|
Retired |
04 |
|
Unemployed |
05 |
|
Student |
06 |
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Q5. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
|
Some high school only |
01 |
|
|
Completed high school |
02 |
|
|
Some Cegep / College |
03 |
|
|
Completed Cegep / College |
04 |
|
|
Some university |
05 |
|
|
Completed university |
06 |
|
|
Post-graduate studies |
07 |
|
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Go to Q6P if a parent
Q6. To make sure that we speak to a diversity of people, could you tell me what is your racial and/or ethnic background?
DO NOT READ - CODE ALL THAT APPLY
|
Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, African Canadian descent) |
01 |
|
East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese descent) |
02 |
|
Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) |
03 |
|
Latin American (Hispanic descent) |
04 |
|
Middle Eastern (West Asian or North African descent, e.g. Afghan, Egyptian, Iranian) |
05 |
|
South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean descent) |
06 |
|
Southeast Asian (Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai descent) |
07 |
|
White (European descent) |
08 |
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Go to Q7 if not a parent
Q6P. What is your child's racial and/or ethnic background?
DO NOT READ - CODE ALL THAT APPLY
|
Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, African Canadian descent) |
01 |
|
East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese descent) |
02 |
|
Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) |
03 |
|
Latin American (Hispanic descent) |
04 |
|
Middle Eastern (West Asian or North African descent, e.g. Afghan, Egyptian, Iranian) |
05 |
|
South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean descent) |
06 |
|
Southeast Asian (Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai descent) |
07 |
|
White (European descent) |
08 |
|
Other (specify) |
97 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
Q7. What is the total income of your household before taxes?
|
Under $ 45,000 |
01 |
|
Between $45,001 and $90,000 |
02 |
|
Between $90,001 and $120,000 |
03 |
|
Over 120,001 |
04 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Prefer not to answer |
98 |
|
[DO NOT READ] Don't know |
99 |
Q8. Have you participated in a qualitative research (individual interviews or focus groups) project in the past 6 months?
|
Yes |
01 |
Terminate |
|
No |
02 |
|
|
[DO NOT READ] Don't know |
99 |
Terminate |
Q9. In the past 5 years, in how many qualitative research projects have you participated in? __________ Exact number
|
None |
01 |
|
|
From 1 to 5 |
02 |
|
|
More than 5 |
03 |
Terminate |
|
[DO NOT READ] Don't know |
99 |
Terminate |
Q10. Do you have access to a tablet, or a computer equipped with high-speed internet and working camera and audio, outside of the ones provided by a school? Note: you will not be able to connect to the session via material provided by an educational institution.
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
99 |
Terminate |
Q11 The groups will be recorded on video for reporting purposes, are you comfortable with this practice?
|
Yes |
01 |
|
|
No |
02 |
Terminate |
|
Do not know |
99 |
Terminate |
PRIVACY QUESTIONS (All Participants)
Now I have a few other questions that relate to privacy, your personal information and the research process. We will need your consent on a few issues that enable us to conduct our research. As I run through these questions, please feel free to ask me any questions you would like clarified.
P1) First, we will be providing a list of respondents' first names and profiles (screener responses) to the moderator so that they can sign you into the group. Do we have your permission to do this? I assure you it will be kept strictly confidential.
Yes 1 GO TO P2
No 2 READ EXPLANATION BELOW; GO TO P1A
We need to provide the first names and background of the people attending the focus group because only the individuals invited are allowed in the session and this information is necessary for verification purposes. Please be assured that this information will be kept strictly confidential. GO TO P1A
P1a) Now that I've explained this, do I have your permission to provide your first name and profile?
Yes 1 GO TO P2
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
P2) A recording of the group session will be produced for research purposes. The recordings will be used by the research professional to assist in preparing a report on the research findings.
Do you agree to be recorded for research and reporting purposes only?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO P3
No 2 READ EXPLANATION BELOW; GO TO P2A
It is necessary for the research process for us to record the session as the researchers need this material to complete the report.
P2a) Now that I've explained this, do I have your permission for recording?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO P3
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
P3) Employees from the Government of Canada may also be online to observe the groups.
Do you agree to be observed by Government of Canada employees?
Yes 1 THANK; GO TO INVITATION
No 2 READ EXPLANATION; GO TO P3A
It is standard procedure for focus groups like this to invite the organization requesting the research, in this case, Government of Canada employees, to observe the groups online. They will be there simply to hear your opinions firsthand, although they may take their own notes and confer with the moderator on occasion to discuss whether there are any additional questions to ask the group.
P3a) Do you agree to be observed by Government of Canada employees?
Yes 1 THANK & GO TO INVITATION
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
16-18 YEAR OLD INVITATION
Thank you so much for answering these questions.
We would like to invite you to take part in the focus group discussion which will be scheduled on <INSERT DATE> from <INSERT TIME> to <INSERT TIME>. The session will last about one hour. After the session, we would send you $100 in appreciation for your participation.
PARENTAL CONSENT AND CHILD AGREEMENT - ASK ONLY OF PARENTS
PC1. Thank you for your responses. In a minute we would like to ask your child a few short questions before inviting them to take part in the focus group discussion which will be scheduled on <INSERT DATE> from <INSERT TIME> to <INSERT TIME>. You are free to listen in. The session will last about one hour. After the session, we would send you $100 in the form of your preference, either as a cash deposit or gift card to be given to your child, in appreciation for their participation.
Your child's participation in this focus group is voluntary and they do not have to answer any question that feels uncomfortable. I'd also like to remind you that the focus group discussion is anonymous and that the information your child provides during the group discussion will not be linked with their name on any document. You may also participate in the group as an observer if you wish.
Are you comfortable with your child taking part in this focus group if they are interested?
Yes 1
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
PC2. Will your child be available to take part in the focus group discussion being held on <INSERT DATE> from <INSERT TIME> to <INSERT TIME>?
Yes 1
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
PC3. We would need your written consent for their participation. You will need to email back the signed consent form before the focus group. May we have your email address to send the consent form? The signed form will be required for your child to take part in the session and receive the incentive.
[RECORD EMAIL AND VERIFY] _________________________________
NOTE TO RECRUITERS: PLEASE USE CONSENT FORM PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED FOR WAVE 2.
PC4. We would like to speak with your child at this time if this is possible. We will inform them of the format for the session, let them know that they will receive $100 after the session, and ask for their interest in taking part. We will also ensure that they are comfortable with sharing their opinions with others similar aged children in a group setting. May we speak with your child to see if they would like to participate, and could you tell me their name?
[If yes] Thank you. This should take only a couple of minutes and we will need to speak with you again right after to provide you with the login instructions.
Yes 1
No 2 SCHEDULE A CALL BACK OR THANK & TERMINATE
CA1. Hello________, my name is____ from Tele-Surveys Plus, a research company. We are working on a project for the government, and we are looking for your opinions about vaping. We would like to show you a short video advertisement and would like to hear your opinions/views on vaping messaging used.
We just spoke to your parent/guardian, and they think you might be interested in sharing your opinion about this topic with other people your age. This session would be conducted online and there would be an adult leading the discussion and asking the questions - much the same way as for an online class. You would need to stay for the entire session which will last about one hour. To thank you for taking part and answering the questions, we will give you $100 in cash or a gift card, depending on what your parent prefers. ANSWER ONLY IF ASKED: Your parent may choose to be an observer to the group, but would not be an active participant.
Is this something you would like to do?
Yes 1
No 2 THANK & TERMINATE
CA2. As I mentioned, you will need to answer questions and express your opinions with the other participants your age. How comfortable are you to express your opinions with others?
|
Very comfortable |
1 |
|
|
A little comfortable |
2 |
|
|
Not very comfortable |
3 |
THANK & TERMINATE |
|
Not at all comfortable |
4 |
THANK & TERMINATE |
|
[Do NOT READ] Don't know |
9 |
THANK & TERMINATE |
Thank you. We look forward to hearing your opinions. Can we speak with your parent or guardian again to give them the instructions to join the session?
ALL PARTICIPANTS
The next steps are as follows:
If at any moment, you realize that you are unable to make it to the group, please send an email to field@tsp.ca and we will replace you. Note that you cannot send another person in your place.
So that we can call you to remind you about the focus group or contact you should there be any changes, can you please confirm your name and contact information for me?
First Name: ____________________________________________
Last Name: ____________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________
For Parents: May I also have your child's name:
First Name: ____________________________________________
Last Name: ____________________________________________
You will receive an email invitation before the group with a link and you will need to confirm your presence.
Would you like to receive the incentive as a gift card, by check or e-transfer?
Gift card. 1
E-transfer 2
Check 3..
E-TRANSFER: We will send the e-transfer or gift card to the email address you have given us. Just to confirm the payment will go to:
<Recalled name and E-Mail> Is this correct? (Please allow 1 week for arrival after the interview.)
Yes, it is correct 1
No. This is not correct (ENTER CORRECTED INFORMATION) 2
CHEQUE : Please confirm your full name and mailing address so that we can send you the cheque once you have completed the session.(Please allow 2-3 weeks for arrival after the interview.)
First Name : ___________________________
Last Name : ___________________________
Address : ______________________________
City : _________________________________
Province : ______________________________
Postal Code : ____________________________
COMPLETION: We ask that you login a few minutes early to be sure you are able to connect and to test your sound (speaker and microphone). If you require glasses for reading, please make sure you have them handy as well.
As we are only inviting a small number of people, your participation is very important to us. We thank you for participating in this study.
Health Canada
Youth Marketing Products
(Canada Dental Benefit)
Focus Group Discussion Guide
Background and Research Objectives
In Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $5.3 billion over five years to provide dental care for the estimated 7 to 9 million Canadians who are unable to access proper dental care because of the cost.
As a result, Health Canada is developing a communications campaign to inform Canadians about the Canada Dental Benefit. The overall objective of this research is to determine the potential effectiveness of the concepts put forward and to determine which concept will be the more effective in relaying this information to Canadians, specifically those Canadians who would qualify for this dental care program.
The specific objectives are as follows:
1. To determine if the content of each concept presented is:
2. To elicit suggestions/options for improving the campaign materials
Group Composition and Schedule
|
EAST-English |
East French |
WEST/NORTH English |
|
|
Households' w/revenues<90k With kids<12 years old 50% have no dental insurance |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
|
Group 6 |
|
Region/Language |
Subject |
Date |
Time (EDT) |
Moderator |
|
|
1 |
EAST-English |
Dental |
Nov 1 |
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
David |
|
2 |
EAST-French |
Dental |
Nov 1 |
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
3 |
WEST/North-English |
Dental |
Nov. 2 |
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. |
David |
|
6 |
EAST-French |
Dental |
Nov. 2 |
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
1. Introduction (10 minutes)
Thank you all for joining the focus group today/this evening!
We will be making regular use of the chat function.To access that feature, please scroll over the bottom of your screen until the command bar appears. There you will see a function called "chat". It will open a chat screen on the far right of your screen. I'd like to ask you to use chat throughout our discussion tonight. Let's do a quick test right now - please open the chat window and send the group a short message (e.g. Hello everyone). If you have an answer to a question and I don't get to ask you specifically, please type your response in there. We will be reviewing all chat comments at the completion of this project.
2. General Discussion on Dental Care (10 minutes)
3. Creative Concept Evaluation (50 minutes)
INTRODUCTION [all creatives]: As mentioned earlier, today I'd like to get your thoughts on two concepts for an advertising campaign. For the purpose of our discussion today, the two concepts include one 15-second video ad that could be seen online, a carousel ad that could be seen on social media, and a poster. We will also be showing you an alternate version of each concept, featuring a different visual, for your feedback. A couple of points before I show you the first concept:
VIDEO CONCEPTS
INTRODUCTION: Now, we are going to look at a mock-up of a 15 second video. I will play the video twice to give you more time to see its content. When you see it, I don't want you to react openly. I would like you to write two things in the chat, again, direct messaging me.
SHOW VIDEO AD
STOP SCREENSHARE
PROBE on various responses:
SOCIAL MEDIA STORYBOARD CONCEPTS
INTRODUCTION: Now, we are going to look at a mock-up of a carousel social media ad. This ad format features three different images that users can view one-at-a-time by swiping or tapping through them on their mobile phone. Again, I want you to put your reactions in the chat in a direct message to me.
SHOW SOCIAL MEDIA AD
Tell me:
STOP SCREENSHARE
[REPEAT ABOVE QUESTIONS UNDER VIDEO CONCEPTS]
POSTER CONCEPTS
INTRODUCTION: Now, we are going to look at a mock-up of a poster. Again, I want you to put your reactions in the chat in a direct message to me.
SHOW POSTER AD (SEE ROTATION ON PAGE 2)
Tell me:
STOP SCREENSHARE
[REPEAT ABOVE QUESTIONS UNDER VIDEO CONCEPTS]
CONCLUSION [state after reviewing all three ad creatives under first concept]: Now that we have reviewed all three advertising creatives for concept [1 or 2], we will now be moving onto the next concept.
[CONTINUE WITH CREATIVE CONCEPT EVALUATION OF NEXT THREE ADVERTISING CREATIVES FOR REMAINING CONCEPT]
4. Forced Choice (15 minutes)
Now that we have reviewed all the advertising creatives for each concept, I'm going to ask you a number of questions, and I want you to enter either a "1" or "2" in the chat, depending on which concept you feel does a better job.
Which concept (ROTATE IN DIFFERENT GROUPS):
PROBE THROUGHOUT ON WHAT ASPECTS OF THE PREFERRED CONCEPT LED TO THE CHOICE.
Finally, if you were in charge of communications at Health Canada, what changes or improvements would you make to the preferred concept in order to make it even more effective?
ALTERNATE VERSION - CONCEPTS 1&2
INTRODUCTION: Finally, now that you all have selected your favourite concept, we are going to look at an alternative version of both concepts. For our purposes today, we will only be looking at a poster, but keep in mind that this alternate look-and-feel would be applied to the other ad formats shown today. Please note that the only difference in this alternative version is the icon.
SHOW ALTERNATE POSTERS, CONCEPT 1 & 2
Tell me:
5. Observer Questions (5 minutes)
Observers will have the opportunity to provide questions throughout the focus group using the chat function (direct messaging me). The Moderator will proceed to ask these questions of the group.
Thank Participants and Adjourn
Total Time: 90 minutes
Health Canada
Youth Marketing Products
(Wave 2 - Food Safety)
Focus Group Discussion Guide
THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE READ TO PARTICIPANTS.
Background and Research Objectives
Health Canada has recently developed advertising messages around improving food safety through the safe preparation and handling of food products in the kitchen. Specifically, a video has been developed targeting children aged 11-12 years who are in the early learning stages of cooking and food preparation.
The objectives of this qualitative research are to:
In addition, Health Canada also wants to take this opportunity to conduct research among young adults (20-28 years old) no longer living with their parents to understand their level of activity in the kitchen, their awareness of the risks involved when handling, preparing and storing food, as well as to gauge reaction to key messages. The specific objectives of this research among 20-28 year olds are to:
Group Composition and Schedule
|
Group # |
Region/Language |
Target Audience |
Date |
Time (EST) |
Moderator |
Video Order (20-28 only) |
|
1 |
Atlantic English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 6 |
3:30-4:30 p.m. |
David |
Rap video |
|
2 |
ON/ QC English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 6 |
4:30-5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
|
3 |
East English |
20 - 28 years old |
Feb 6 |
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. |
David |
Nuggets Pink chicken |
|
4 |
East-French |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 7 |
4:30-5:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
|
5 |
East-French |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 7 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
Norm |
|
|
6 |
East-French |
20 - 28 years old |
Feb 8 |
4:30 - 6:00 p.m. |
Norm |
Nuggets Pink Chicken |
|
7 |
West/North English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 7 |
7:30-8:30 p.m. |
David |
Rap video |
|
8 |
West/North English |
11 - 12 years old |
Feb 8 |
7:30-8:30 p.m. |
Norm |
|
|
9 |
West/North English |
20 - 28 years old |
Feb 8 |
7:30 - 9:00 p.m. |
David |
Pink Chicken Nuggets |
SECTION 1: 11-12 year olds
Thank you all for joining the focus group today/this evening!
We will be using Zoom today. Did any of you use Zoom during the pandemic when you couldn't go to school? Do you remember how to use the chat feature?
To access that feature, please scroll over the bottom of your screen until the command bar appears. There you will see a function called "chat". It will open a chat screen on the far right of your screen. I'd like to ask you to use chat throughout our discussion tonight. Let's do a quick test right now - please open the chat window and send the group a short message (e.g. Hello everyone). If you have an answer to a question and I don't get to ask you specifically, please type your response in there. We will be reviewing all chat comments at the completion of this project.
Please note that anything you say during these groups will not be shared with any one else. We are doing several different groups over the next few days. We will be writing a report, but will never say in the report your name or what you said personally.
For PARENTS:
The report can be accessed through the Library of Parliament or Archives Canada.
Roundtable introduction:To get us started off, I'd like to hear a little bit from each of you.
I'd like to show you a short video. I'm going to play the video. Try not to react to the video right away, because it's very short, so I'm going to play it twice. After I play it again, I want you send me a chat message as if you were talking to your friend. At first, I want you to send it directly to me so that only I see it. I want you to tell your friend what the video said, whether you liked it or not, and whether your friend should check it out. Remember, your friend has never seen it. You wouldn't tell your friend you liked it when you really didn't, so please feel free to give your friend your honest opinion.
Once everyone has sent me their message, I'll post them and we'll talk about what everyone thinks of the video.
Now I'd like to ask the parents a couple of questions
Thank Participants and Adjourn
Total Time: 60 minutes
SECTION 2: 20-28 year olds
Thank you all for joining the focus group today/this evening!
We will be making regular use of the chat function.To access that feature, please scroll over the bottom of your screen until the command bar appears. There you will see a function called "chat". It will open a chat screen on the far right of your screen. I'd like to ask you to use chat throughout our discussion tonight. Let's do a quick test right now - please open the chat window and send the group a short message (e.g. Hello everyone). If you have an answer to a question and I don't get to ask you specifically, please type your response in there. We will be reviewing all chat comments at the completion of this project.
2. General Discussion on Food Handling and Preparation (15 minutes)
3. Review and Discuss Creatives (45 minutes)
a. Videos
Now, we are going to look at a 15 second video. I will play the video twice to give you more time to see its content. When you see it, I don't want you to react openly. I would like you to write two things in the chat, again, direct messaging me. First, I would like you to post one or more emoticons on how the ad made you feel. Second, I would like you to write down a couple of words or a phrase which is the key takeaway you get from the ad.
DISCUSS VARIOUS RESPONSES AND PROBE.
REPEAT FOR SECOND VIDEO
b. Posters
We're now going to look at a series of posters, and I would like your reactions. Specifically, as we go through the posters, I would like you to tell me:
SHOW ALL POSTERS ON SCREEN CONCURRENTLY. (USE PPT SLIDE SORTER).
Which poster do you think is the most effective way to communicate safe food handling and preparation? Second most? Third?
4. Conclusion and Observer Questions (5 minutes)
Observers will have the opportunity to provide questions throughout the focus group using the chat function (direct messaging me). The Moderator will proceed to ask these questions of the group.
Thank Participants and Adjourn
Total Time: 90 minutes
Health Canada
Youth Marketing Products
(Vaping)
Focus Group Discussion Guide
THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE READ TO PARTICIPANTS:
Background and Research Objectives
Health Canada has recently developed a fifteen second video advertisement targeting adult smokers (aged 35-64) encouraging them to quit smoking with a combination of tools and support. The video also mentions using "vaping and a supportive friend" to help quit smoking. Health Canada wants to ensure that this message, if seen by youth (ages 13-18), does not promote vaping to youth and/or people who do not smoke.
The specific objectives of this research are:
Group Composition and Schedule
|
Group # |
Region/Language |
Target Audience |
Date |
Time (EST) |
Moderator |
|
1 |
East & West English |
13 - 15 years old |
Feb 15 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
Dave |
|
2 |
East French |
13 - 15 years old |
Feb 15 |
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. |
Norm |
|
3 |
East French |
16 - 18 years old |
Feb 15 |
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
Norm |
|
4 |
East-English |
16 - 18 years old |
Feb 15 |
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. |
Dave |
|
5 |
West/North English |
16 - 18 years old |
Feb 16 |
9:00 - 10:00 p.m. |
Norm |
Introduction (10 minutes)
Thank you all for joining the focus group today/this evening!
We will be making regular use of the chat function.To access that feature, please scroll over the bottom of your screen until the command bar appears. There you will see a function called "chat". It will open a chat screen on the far right of your screen. I'd like to ask you to use chat throughout our discussion tonight. Let's do a quick test right now - please open the chat window and send the group a short message (e.g. Hello everyone). If you have an answer to a question and I don't get to ask you specifically, please type your response in there. We will be reviewing all chat comments at the completion of this project.
General Discussion on Tobacco and Vaping (15 minutes)
Review of Video (25 minutes)
INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO: As mentioned earlier, today I'd like to get your thoughts on a video advertisement. I'm going to show you the video, and then I'm going to show it to you again. While I'm showing you the video, please try not to react openly so as not to influence others.
PROBE:
6. Observer Questions (5 minutes)
Observers will have the opportunity to provide questions throughout the focus group using the chat function (direct messaging me). The Moderator will proceed to ask these questions of the group.
Thank Participants and Adjourn
Total Time: 55 minutes
responding more or less favourably by being the first or last concept shown