At Sage Outcomes, we guide our clients through the uncharted territories of complex research questions. Our work with Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) exemplifies the importance of blending curiosity with rigor to help organizations make impactful decisions. ASH, a leading advocacy group focused on eliminating tobacco-related harm, approached us with a challenge: to understand how specific communities in California—the Latinx, Black, and health & wellness communities—perceived their efforts to eliminate the sale of commercial tobacco products. Armed with these insights, ASH aimed to develop targeted media and communications campaigns that would resonate deeply with each community and further their mission of building a world with zero tobacco-related deaths.
ASH had a clear goal: to phase out the sale of commercial tobacco products in California. But to achieve that, they needed a research partner who could help them understand the cultural and social nuances within the diverse communities they hoped to reach. These communities were not just passive audiences; they had unique perspectives on addiction, tobacco use, and public health policies. For ASH, it wasn’t enough to push out a one-size-fits-all campaign—they needed a nuanced understanding of how these groups perceived the issue and their advocacy efforts.
The challenge for us was twofold. First, how do we effectively reach and engage these distinct groups? Second, how do we translate their insights into actionable strategies for ASH’s future campaigns? Understanding human behavior is what we do best at Sage Outcomes, and we recognized that this project would require deep exploration to truly understand the emotional drivers behind these communities’ views on tobacco use and commercial regulation.
At Sage Outcomes, we believe in setting out on a journey of discovery alongside our clients. With ASH, our process began by conducting discovery calls to understand their goals, audience, and the barriers they faced in their outreach efforts. Through these discussions, we determined that a mixed-methods approach—combining a quantitative survey with qualitative focus groups—would be the most effective way to gather the data needed to inform ASH’s campaign strategies.
To ensure that our findings were grounded in real human truths, we partnered with inBeat Agency, a leading micro-influencer agency. inBeat’s expertise in engaging niche communities allowed us to effectively reach and recruit respondents from the Latinx, Black, and health & wellness communities in California.
• Survey Design: We designed and distributed a survey to individuals across the target populations. The survey captured demographic information, smoking habits, and media consumption behaviors. But we didn’t stop there. We included nuanced questions that probed respondents’ emotional reactions to key messages about tobacco regulation. This layer of emotional depth allowed us to identify the underlying motivations and concerns that shaped their views.
• Focus Group Recruitment and Moderation: The survey also served as a screening tool to recruit participants for three virtual focus groups—one for each key community. A total of 21 individuals participated in the focus groups, which allowed us to dive deeper into the perspectives that emerged from the survey data. Our moderation team at Sage Outcomes brought empathy and cultural sensitivity to the discussions, creating a safe space where participants felt comfortable sharing their opinions and personal experiences with tobacco use and public health advocacy.
Through our rigorous and thoughtful approach, we unearthed several key insights that transformed how ASH understood their target audiences. The focus groups were especially revealing, offering nuanced perspectives that a quantitative survey alone would not have captured.
• Addressing Addiction and Community Needs: Many respondents, particularly in the Latinx and Black communities, expressed that efforts to phase out tobacco sales needed to be coupled with addressing the root causes of tobacco use—namely, addiction and socio-economic factors that drive it. Without addressing these community-level needs, some participants felt that simply removing access to tobacco products would not be enough to reduce usage effectively.
• Attitudes Toward Criminalization: Another significant finding was that many respondents, particularly in the health & wellness community, were not swayed by whether or not the sale of tobacco products would lead to criminal penalties. Their views on phasing out tobacco sales were rooted in public health concerns rather than legal implications, suggesting that ASH’s campaigns should focus on the health benefits of eliminating tobacco rather than the potential for punitive measures.
• Media and Messaging Preferences: We also found that traditional forms of media (TV, radio) were less effective in engaging these communities. Instead, respondents preferred grassroots, community-driven outreach and digital platforms such as social media, where micro-influencers and trusted voices from within their own communities could carry the message.
These insights gave ASH the clarity and direction they needed to shape future campaigns that would resonate with their target audiences. With our guidance, they were able to move from broad messaging to tailored, emotionally resonant communications that could inspire real action and change.
With the insights gathered through our collaboration, ASH is better positioned to launch media and advocacy campaigns that reflect the real concerns and motivations of the Latinx, Black, and health & wellness communities. These findings are already shaping their outreach strategies, ensuring that their message is not only heard but also felt by the communities they aim to serve.
At Sage Outcomes, we are committed to helping our clients explore the full landscape of their audience, uncover the human truths that drive behavior, and chart a clear path forward. In this case, the journey we took with ASH provided them with the critical understanding they needed to amplify their impact and move closer to their goal of eliminating tobacco-related harm.
As we continue to work with organizations tackling complex social issues, our approach remains the same: thoughtful exploration, rigorous research, and a deep respect for the people and communities we engage with.
Our partnership with ASH serves as a testament to the power of research-driven insights in shaping meaningful, impactful advocacy efforts. By understanding the perspectives of key populations, ASH is now better equipped to tailor their messaging and strategies to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
At Sage Outcomes, we don’t just deliver data—we provide a compass for the journey ahead, helping our clients find true north in their research, messaging, and impact.
