The role of social marketing
Since its birth in the 1970s, social marketing campaigns have encouraged us to give up smoking, practice safe sex, cut down on salt, drink less alcohol, not drop litter and be honest about our benefit entitlement.
So does it work?
The campaigns pictured here are certainly memorable and, in some cases, hard-hitting. The NHS anti-smoking ad, featuring a man being pulled by a fish hook, also has the dubious honour of being one of the UK’s top ten most complained about ads and was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. In terms of effectiveness, the jury is still out. Last year an Australian survey found that anti-smoking ads annoyed smokers and made them want to keep smoking. However, in the UK, 350,000 adults have taken classes in basic skills following a campaign urging people to shake off their learning gremlins.
