A GOOD STOPPING POINT: SMOKING CESSATION CAMPAIGNS FOR LGBTQIA+

About the Project

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With a grant from the LA County Department of Health Services, the Cedars-Sinai Research Center for Health Equity joined forces with Designmatters and the Graphic Design Department to challenge ArtCenter transdisciplinary students to develop a campaign advocating tobacco cessation for the LGBTQIA+ communities, which have some of the highest tobacco rates in the U.S. Students interacted with health and community experts as they researched reasons for high tobacco rates while learning the history of LGBTQIA+ health activism. On this foundation, they created a campaign that featured a unique visual identity and appropriate materials/systems so community organizations can help members quit their tobacco habit.

Project Brief

In the Summer of 2022, ArtCenter students researched and developed a campaign advocating tobacco cessation for LGBTQIA+ communities that suffer from having the highest tobacco rates in the U.S. Working with partner Cedars-Sinai Research Center for Health Equity, the student teams uncovered reasons for the high usage rates of tobacco in addition to becoming familiar with the history of LGBTQIA+ health activism.

Informed by robust background information from experts, and drawing on inspiration from the community, students created a campaign with an inviting visual identity that delivered the message in an upbeat way. Materials, resources, and systems were also developed for community organizations to reach their members considering trying to quit their tobacco addiction.

Research and Project Development

A panel of experts joined the students at the kickoff session. Healthcare providers, researchers, and medical doctors from Cedars Sinai were joined by community organizers and stakeholders to share an overview of the LGBTQIA+ community, tobacco usage, and current data/trends. 

Anthony Ayala, a partner of Cedar-Sinai Research Center for Health Equity, directed a conversation about the LGBTQIA+ community, explaining that this target audience is not monolithic but rather one umbrella with many individual identities. He shared how gender-inclusive language spans a wide range, and that carefully chosen words can be inclusive and respectful. Finally, he discussed how nightlife and bar culture continues to influence the LGBTQIA+ communities with regard to tobacco use.

Behavioral scientist Dr. Michael Sobolev directed students to the many online resources where they could research and find data about tobacco usage. Dr. Sobolev briefly described tobacco use stats, a the new challenge of e-cigarettes and vaping, and the main reasons to quit: health, saving money, feeling/looking better, and feeling more socially acceptable. He outlined the traditional methods of quitting (patches, gum, lozenges) but stressed that the best combination involves peer support with these medications. 

Finally, Dr. Sobolev explained how the LGBTQIA+ communities present challenges to traditional methods and campaign outreach especially since smoking has been a part of its identity for many years. Big tobacco companies have marketed their products directly to this community. He stressed that innovative approaches will capture this audience and possibly encourage that all-important first step. The class heard from other experts about how health insurance often doesn’t cover cessation therapies and how addressing both physical and psychological addictions is the foundation for a long-lasting and meaningful program.

Students brainstormed the possible barriers that LGBTQIA+ communities could face if they decided to quit tobacco; they also discussed what could be considered a “successful campaign.” they asked. “How do you track and monitor if the message is being delivered and then acted upon?” In that vein, students latched onto the idea that the campaign needs to facilitate awareness and broadcast the problem and possible solutions.

Together with experts, students created a list of what the campaign…

• Must Have (“rooted in positivity”)
• Should Have and/or Could Have
• Won’t Have (“seeing LGBTQIA+ as a single group”). 

At the end of the launch session, students were excited to kick start their creative talents and engage with a challenge that would stretch their thinking from classroom learning to real-world possibilities.

A few weeks into the term the student teams took a field trip to The Wall Las Memorias, a community health and wellness organization dedicated to serving Latino, LGBTQ and other under-served populations through advocacy, education and building the next generation of leadership. Andres Magaña took the students on a tour of the  Las Memorias AIDS Monument and gave an overview of the organization’s health and outreach programs.

About Tobacco Usage and Risks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. About 34 million U.S. adults still smoke cigarettes and 70 percent say they want to quit. Tobacco use plays into LGB

TQIA+ history considering the tobacco industry’s long history of targeting those communities which are 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to smoke cigarettes than heterosexual individuals, often choosing menthol cigarettes which are even harder to quit. The Los Angeles area has the second largest LGBTQIA+ community in the country; many members are at a higher risk for lung cancer because of their tobacco usage.

At midterm presentations, students offered partners and guests a look at their research and insights along with potential approaches. Teams shared how they are envisioning the values and the campaign personality. Through mood boards, sample logos, and typography, the campaigns’ design goals were beginning to take shape. Experts provided encouraging and honest comments about what might be missing from the students’ projects while offering constructive feedback for the next steps in the creative development process.

In considering, the two teams’ directions, it became clear that there was a pathway to combine these ideas into an interconnected two-fold campaign. Students were energized about creating a campaign that would encompass a wider reach concerning health issues in the LGBTQIA+ communities.

Teams refined and honed their projects, adding depth and details to their overriding concepts. Students were reminded to follow the Human Centered Design model putting the people first in their design thinking. 

To help gain further insights into the mind of a tobacco user and the addictive quality of these products, a panel of current and former LGBTQIA+ users addressed the students and described their experiences. They discussed why they started using tobacco products and how they stopped. They shared personal stories of their biggest hurdles during the process and shared what helped them the most.

Students developed prototypes, re-designed logos that would represent the community, and created scenarios of how the campaign could be launched and disseminated. Visuals reflected a sense of hope along with positivity and support. Realizing that they are not designing in isolation, students explored how partnerships with local organizations could bring authority and familiarity to their campaigns.

At a subsequent presentation, student teams shared how their concepts were being fleshed out with specific prototypes and mock-ups, along with the next steps planned for during the final weeks of the studio. Cedars-Sinai partners reminded students they would be available for any questions or feedback as the teams put the finishing touches on their complementary concepts.