Serious entertainment: popular culture for real world change

This presentation offers insights from decades of research and a multi-method study on popular entertainment and social impact. University of Southern California Norman Lear Center has 25+ years of experience studying and shaping impactful media. In our latest research project we asked whether a popular medical drama called The Pitt, praised in the press for its realism, authenticity, and potential power to move audiences, resonated with and changed the hearts and minds of various audiences. 
Using a survey of more than 1400 people and interviews with 25 medical professionals that watched the show, the study demonstrates powerful real-life effects of popular entertainment. Interviews demonstrated that medical professionals felt seen while watching the show. Many felt pride and solidarity in their professions. Interviewees hoped that the show would raise awareness about the stress and threats of violence that U.S. health professionals face. Viewers felt sadness and empathy while watching key storylines and many showed intention to act when it comes to organ donation and end-of-life planning – key outcome variables for us.
Drawing from our body of research and using The Pitt case study as an exemplar, this presentation presents takeaways for funders and practitioners interested in storytelling on how commercially viable media can be simultaneously entertaining and impactful. The presentation showcases best practices associated with key psychological mechanisms that draw viewers into storyworlds and act as narrative levers for social change. 

This presentation addresses the role that spontaneously created songs play in promoting social norms and how they can be integrated into social and behavior change communication (SBCC) strategies through the example of Panamanian artist Rubén Blades song Amor y Control (Love and Control). Consistently popular over two decades, the song boasts over 500 million views on YouTube and 140 million on Spotify. It influences public narratives of solidarity and positive change, communicate social values, demonstrate emotional engagement, and prompt shifts in perspectives about social norms.
We employed a multi-method approach that included a content analysis of the lyrics to identify values in its storytelling; an interview with the author to capture his intention and reflection on the impact of the song; a sentiment analysis of 16,800 social media comments to capture interpretations and emotional engagement; and a rhetorical analysis of public opinion leaders' statements about the song's influence on social and family values.
The influence of songs in promoting social values and norms is an underexplored area of SBCC. We emphasize their role as conduits for public debate and shifts in perception, the importance of empirical research on their impact on public attitudes, behaviors, norms and other indicators, and recommend a multisectoral partnership model between SBCC and the music industry to harness the potential of commercial music as a catalyst for norm setting and behavior change.

Justice-involved youth in the United States face significant barriers to accessing sexual health information and services, compounded by trauma, stigma, and limited educational opportunities. This presentation explores two ongoing youth-centered entertainment-education (EE) interventions, Unstained and Stay True, co-created with adolescents and young people (ages 14–17) involved in or at risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system. Both interventions aim to reduce behavioral risk factors related to teen pregnancy prevention but through distinct lenses: Unstained focuses on sexual consent, pregnancy prevention, and STI testing, while Stay True addresses the intersection between substance misuse and sexual health decision-making.


Both interventions began with formative research, including a desk review and key informant interviews with parole officers, trauma-informed experts, clinicians, and system-impacted youth. Findings informed a message framework that was validated in a two-day design workshop held in a juvenile justice facility, where youth developed storylines and characters reflecting their lived experiences. Unstained evolved into a six-episode video series now undergoing a five-year randomized controlled trial (RCT), while Stay True (a three-episode series) is currently in implementation design. Early feedback from Unstained participants shows high engagement and identification with the characters, suggesting the approach's resonance and potential for impact. Together, the interventions highlight how trauma-informed, participatory storytelling can strengthen youth agency, trust, and connection in hard-to-reach settings.

Youth civic engagement is critical to inclusive governance and social development, yet young people in Cambodia often feel excluded from decision-making processes. Structural barriers-including limited civic education, restrictive political conditions, and cultural norms discouraging youth voice-constrain meaningful participation. To address these challenges, BBC Media Action developed a narrative-based media intervention designed to model youth civic participation and shift attitudes and norms around youth voice in family and community life.
The intervention comprised two media products: Sok San Family, a Khmer television drama portraying intergenerational dialogue and civic participation, and Ban Der Ban Deng, a digital series featuring real-life youth role models. A randomized controlled trial tested the impact of viewing the civic-themed content compared to a placebo drama. Post-viewing surveys measured changes in civic knowledge, attitudes, confidence, perceived support, and behavioural intent.
Findings show that the intervention significantly improved civic knowledge and supportive attitudes in the private sphere, including confidence to express opinions and perceived support for youth voice in family and community settings. However, no measurable shifts were observed in perceived efficacy, social norms, or behavioural intent-reflecting broader political and structural constraints to public participation.
The project reached 2.5 million Cambodians aged 15–55, including 1.1 million youth, and Sok San Family alone attracted 2 million viewers, mostly online. These results demonstrate that narrative media can effectively foster knowledge and attitudinal change, but translating these shifts into action requires complementary strategies that create spaces for dialogue and engagement and integrate media with wider youth development initiatives.