About this resource

Mass media campaigns are an effective tobacco control strategy. They increase knowledge of the health risks of tobacco use, encourage quitting and motivate behaviour change in both smokers and non-smokers.

This resource presents a selection of effective anti-tobacco mass media campaigns suitable for adaptation and use in low- and middle-income countries. It can also be used to support concept development for new campaigns.

Selection process:

In April 2007, as part of its work under the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, The Union convened a taskforce of international experts in health communications. The campaigns presented here have been selected by The Union Tobacco Control Mass Media Taskforce from a compilation of proven anti-tobacco media campaigns from around the world.

The compilation included campaigns that:

• improve knowledge of the health effects of tobacco use
• motivate behaviour change
• encourage quitting
• build support for effective tobacco control policies, in particular smokefree policies
• have adults as their primary target
• change the image of tobacco, the tobacco industry and tobacco use

Campaigns were scored on the basis of:

• evidence of their impact and effectiveness
• potential for adaptation in priority countries
• acceptability to the target audience

The campaigns presented here are those which scored highest, and which were judged by the Taskforce to be most likely to be effective and acceptable. From this collection, governments, health communications practitioners and others can select advertisements for pre-testing in their countries.

For information and technical assistance on planning, implementing and evaluating effective mass media campaigns for tobacco control, contact The Union at: massmedia@iuatld.org

The Union Tobacco Control Mass Media Taskforce:

Pham Thi Hoang Anh, Greg Connolly, Trish Cotter, Elena Dmitrieva, Karen Gutierrez, Fitri Putjuk, Gary Saffitz, Mohammed Shahjahan, Hassan El Sheikh, Melanie Wakefield, Jane Webb

Published by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), 2007.
Compiled with the collaboration of the Cancer Institute NSW, Australia.

This resource is intended for educational purposes only. Commercial use is not permitted.

Credits:
Director, Tobacco Control, The Union: Dr Sinéad Jones
Lead Mass Media Expert, Cancer Institute New South Wales: Trish Cotter
Project Officer, Cancer Institute New South Wales: Anita Dessaix
Technical Officer, The Union: Tuija Tengvall