Isaac Tseng (Interaction Design & Leader)
Kat Shirinyan (Graphic Design)
Gerile Yang (Illustration Design)
Success Metrics:
- Measuring quantity of signatories collected for the campaign
- Good social media engagement of Ember the cat
- Increasing transparency and lines of communication with streaming services and production companies
- Establishment of actual QTPOC health advisory boards in streaming platforms
Future Steps:
LGBTQ+ and Tobacco
LGBTQ+ young adults are nearly 2x as likely to use tobacco as their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Tobacco companies have historically and currently continued to exploit the queer community’s desire for visibility, and capitalized on peer pressure in queer spaces to promote their products.
Film and Media Influence
Film & media are highly influential in the spread of popular culture and learned behavior to young people in colleges. Half of the movies released in recent years featuring a queer lead show tobacco use in an aspirational image without consequence.
Insight #1
QTPOC substance use in media is already stereotypical in depiction. Another overtly rainbow-washed color palette will only act negatively against the campaign’s intentions and alienate our target audience.
Design considerations:
- Atypical color palette
- Tapping into nostalgia
- Maintain film theme
“I’m not that much of a rainbow gay... sometimes it’s too much and I’m glad you guys chose colors that aren’t obvious.” - Interviewee A (identity redacted for privacy)
Insight #2
Tobacco smoke in multi-unit housing is an on-going common experience, however many do not know how to solve it other than through HOA. A different approach for residents to feel heard is very welcome.
Design considerations:
- Easy distribution
- Low participation barrier
- Simple Call-to-Action
“Second hand smoke in multi-unit spaces is really troublesome for many people still.” - Interviewee B (identity redacted for privacy)
Insight #3
It is much easier to encourage being considerate through the humorous lens of an annoyed cat than an annoyed human. Humor lowers the intensity and makes the subject much more light-hearted and approachable.
Design considerations:
- Humor & sassiness
- Light-hearted approach
- Social-media friendly
“Sassy and angry cats are always more likable and personable, they are their own entity, that’s how people know them.” - Interviewee C (identity redacted for privacy)
Insight #4
It is important to consider other perspectives for audience retention. Not everyone connects to the cat in the video. The cat owner should also react negatively to the secondhand smoke to paint a fuller picture.
Design considerations:
- Relatability of all parties
- Character focus in video
- Role of the viewer
“I relate to the neighbor’s experience of smoke sneaking in, but I feel disconnected because the neighbor isn’t reacting to it negatively.” - Interviewee D (identity redacted for privacy)
To create a campaign that would encourage LGBTQ+ communities in LA’s South Bay to become advocates for health justice, with a focus on curbing tobacco use.
Target Audience:
- Los Angeles South Bay residents who have a history of tobacco usage or are around others who use tobacco; specifically Long Beach, CA which is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in South Bay Los Angeles.
- Belong to LGBTQ+ communities, specifically QTPOC individuals who have disproportionately frequent depiction of tobacco use in film & media.
- College Students who are at the life stage where they have high susceptibility to peer pressure, influence, approval seeking, self-image, and stress.
This target audience is vulnerable to the following factors which may encourage uptake of tobacco habits:
- Peer pressure
- Fear / Hate crimes
- Approval seeking
- Finding their tribe
- Career pressure
- Family pressure
- Self-image issues
- Tobacco lifestyle marketing
- Pop culture
Detailed case study description can be found by clicking this link.
The Campaign: Smoke Screen
Smoke Screen is a campaign featuring Ember the cat. Ember is our mascot advocating for LGBTQ+ youth, utilizing a light hearted approach and a furry friend that many can emotionally bond to in order to promote anti-tobacco depiction in LGBTQ+ media. We are a grassroots campaign targeting subversive tobacco marketing towards LGBTQ+ folks in TV, media, and streaming services. Streaming service providers are one of the leading forms of influential media, where many LGBTQ+ youth are exposed to behaviors or practices that are subconsciously learned and turned aspirational. We therefore aim to establish LGBTQ+ health advisory groups in streaming service providers to build working conversations in film-making that benefit LGBTQ+ health and curb tobacco use.
Objectives:
- Mobilizing both “loud” and “quiet” voices.
- Maintaining a light-hearted mood that is easy to receive and digest.
- Easily distributable among young people living in multi-unit housing and colleges.
