Case Study: Planned Parenthood of Southwest Oregon

When we were hired by Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon (PPSO) to increase awareness of free birth control available in their eight health centers, we knew we would need to talk to the target audience to get the message right. Creating ads about a sex-oriented topic targeting young women was a virtual minefield.

We conducted focus groups in Eugene and Medford with the target and discussed pregnancy, birth control, and Planned Parenthood. Consistently, the young women gave very pragmatic reasons for using birth conrol: they needed to earn more money, get a better job, or meet other milestones before embarking on parenthood. The campaign grew out of these words from the target. The campaign also positioned Planned Parenthood in a very positive light: the organization was empowering women to meet their goals and giving them to tools to take care of themselves, or “Take Care of You” as the tagline reads.