Diffusion and innovation in minority youth substance abuse prevention

Difussion and Innovation Minority Youth Substance Abuse Solution
In the article by Robertson (1967), the issue of how innovation can occur is discussed. The article looks at the continuous innovation, dynamically continuous innovation, and discontinuous innovation. Diffusion is described as occurring in an orderly sequence. Those who innovate can be first to the market or to the target audience with their ideas. They can be second and expand on the initial innovation, or they can continue the first innovation; or they can be last or be innovative by discontinuing the previous innovation. Diffusion can occur in a predictable manner according to the description of innovation offered by Robertson (1967). Personal influence and social integration all play a part in how diffusion occurs, however—and this is something that is born out in the study of modern influencers on social media (Freberg, Graham, McGaughey & Freberg, 2011). As Rogers and Scott (1997) point out, innovations are communicated via culture, community and social groups. This is the essence of diffusion. In Robertson’s (1967) article, the diffusion of innovation model is used to explain how innovation has a cyclical nature to it and thus can be predicted according to the extent to which diffusion has been achieved.
The diffusion of information in the public health campaign for Minority Youth Substance Abuse Solution will focus on the application of social media among the target population. The principle that will be applied form the diffusion of innovation model is the principle that the easier the message the easier it is for the message to be adopted by the target population. As the target population for this public health campaign is minority youths, the message should be simplified and communicated using simple means that will appeal to modern youth—and this means that social media, Facebook and Twitter are necessary to use.
As Freberg et al. (2011) show, social media is capable of influencing people because of the simplicity of the message system and the immediacy with which the information is given. Social media influencers are able to present themselves directly to their followers and appeal to their sense of curiosity about what is going on in the lives of others and how others perceive important topics that are current, fresh and popular in society. This campaign will emphasize the role of social media in the process of appealing to minority youths so as to be able to touch base with them, share the simple message of fighting substance abuse, and use social influencers to expand on that message and share their own stories.
The advantage of using the principle of this diffusion of innovation model is that it fits in with the nature of communication that appeals to the minority youth population that this study targets. Were social media on its way out, the trend would be towards abandoning the innovation, but the research indicates the opposite—i.e., that the trend is towards social media serving as the preferred method of communication. More and more social influencers are going on YouTube and other social media platforms to reach their audiences and market points of view (Freberg et al., 2011). Youth today expect to get information that is important to them from influencers on social media; thus it makes perfect sense to use this same means of communication to reach this target population and spread the message of support, knowledge, hope and assistance that this campaign will seek to emphasize. The more that it can rely on the terms and values associated with social media, the more effective the campaign will be in striking the right note with the target population and achieving its goals.

References
Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. A. (2011). Who are the social
media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 90-92.
Robertson, T. S. (1967). The process of innovation and the diffusion of innovation. 
Journal of marketing, 31(1), 14-19.
Rogers, E. M., & Scott, K. L. (1997). The diffusion of innovations model and outreach
from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to Native American communities. Retrieved March, 22, 2006.