Quality standard

Quality statement 8: Media campaigns

Quality statement 8: Media campaigns

Quality statement

Local authorities use regional and local media channels to reinforce national tobacco reduction campaigns.

Rationale

There is evidence that social marketing and media campaigns can stop people from taking up smoking and can be effective in changing smoking behaviour in those who already smoke. National campaigns that aim to reduce smoking in the community are run on a regular basis by the Department of Health and Public Health England. These should be communicated to local authorities in advance so that the campaign messages can be promoted and reinforced regionally and locally by all partners working together on tobacco control.

Quality measures

Structure

a) Evidence of local authorities using regional or local media channels to reinforce messages from national tobacco reduction campaigns.

Data source: Local data collection.

b) Evidence of regional and local activities to reinforce national tobacco reduction campaigns.

Data source: Local data collection.

What the quality statement means for local authorities and Public Health England

Local authorities supported by Public Health England use regional and local media channels to reinforce messages from national tobacco reduction campaigns. They may work in partnership to commission regional providers to improve cost effectiveness and consistency of the messages.

What the quality statement means for adults, children and young people

Adults, children and young people come into contact with campaign messages that put them off taking up smoking and encourage them to quit if they already smoke.

Source guidance

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Reinforcing national tobacco reduction campaigns locally

Reinforcing national tobacco reduction campaigns locally is likely to include some or all of the following:

  • Production and dissemination of local press releases.

  • Completion of radio and television interviews.

  • Delivery of local promotional events in community settings, for example, sports stadia, supermarkets, shopping centres and markets.

  • Production and dissemination of e‑information and e‑mail footers.

  • Dissemination of information through social media streams.

[NICE guideline PH14 and expert opinion]

Equality and diversity considerations

Smoking is more common in socially deprived areas and among people in routine and manual jobs. When developing campaigns, consideration should be given about how to target these groups, with what messages and via which media. Local campaigns should use local intelligence to tailor the activities so that they are effective for the local population.