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In the early 2000s, communications professor Bob Hornik wanted to see if anti-drug ads worked.
At the time, most ads used shock and fear tactics to persuade kids.
Bob gathered data on thousands of teenagers. He tracked their exposure to anti-drug ads and their marijuana use over time.
The results?
The ads didn’t reduce drug use. They increased it. Teenagers who saw the ads were more likely to smoke marijuana.
Let’s discuss why this happened, and how you might be making a similar mistake.