Information
September 2003
Tobacco Control and Mass Media
The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy and Programme
Responding to proof that comprehensive, integrated and sustained mass media campaigns
are effective in tobacco control, the Government of Canada committed funds in April 2001
under the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy for a five-year mass media effort.
The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy objectives are:
- to reduce the proportion of people who smoke to 20 per cent of Canada's population;
- to reduce by 30 per cent the number of cigarettes sold in Canada; to increase retailer
compliance with the laws governing sales of tobacco to youth from 69 per cent to 80 per
cent;
- to reduce the number of people exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in enclosed public
spaces, and;
- to explore ways of mandating changes to tobacco products to reduce hazards to health.
The Tobacco Control Programme delivers on the Strategy goals.
Mass Media Campaigns
Mass media campaigns are recognized as an integral component of any comprehensive program
to reduce tobacco use and exposure.
Over the past 18 months, there has been a national mass media campaign on Second-hand
Smoke ("Target"), ("Heather"), and ("Couch"/S.S.D). These campaigns complement our smoking
cessation campaign ("Bob/Martin").
The logical progression of these themes is based on experience and solid research that
show by reducing the places where a smoker can smoke, they are more likely to quit and
be successful at it. For example, California found the link between these two themes to
be so strong that it always includes both second-hand smoke and cessation advertisements
in each of its campaigns.
Heather Crowe
Heather Crowe has been a focal point of the SHS mass media campaign for the past year.
Her remarkable story is becoming more well known. The first ad with Heather Crowe began
in October 2002 and ran for four weeks on national television followed by advertisements
in transit shelters across the country. In the month of December a modified Heather ad
ran in cinemas nationwide.
The story and message in these advertisements are deliberately hard-hitting and tell a
true compelling story. The advertisement features Heather Crowe, who is dying from lung
cancer - the kind induced by tobacco smoke. She has never smoked a day in her life, but
lung cancer is a direct result of continuous exposure to second-hand smoke in the hospitality
sector, where she worked for more than 40 years.
Since the launch of the "Heather" campaign, Heather Crowe has been a vocal non-smoking
activist attending numerous engagements in municipalities working towards a smoke-free
by-law. Heather has travelled to locations such as Winnipeg, Cornwall, London (Ontario),
Newfoundland, and Nunavut to name a few, to share her story and to ask for measures that
would protect other workers from second-hand smoke in the workplace.
She has made herself available for media interviews and public events as part of her determined
effort to be one of the last people to die of second-hand smoke.
On September 29th 2003, the Heather SHS campaign will re-air for 4 weeks on
national television. It will have the new call to action "Refuse to be a target", rather
than "Are you a target". This campaign will be complemented with an out-of-home campaign
consisting of street level ads in 500K markets, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton,
Ottawa/Gatineau, Toronto as well as cities adopting the bylaws in 2003/2004. This campaign
will also include a new Heather commercial that will air in cinemas in the month of December
across Canada.
Research and Results
Health Canada conducts substantial research before any campaign. Potential audiences are
identified through the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, and there is baseline public
environment research, as well as qualitative research to test concepts and messages. Extensive
consultation with stakeholders is also part of putting together a campaign.
Results show that tobacco mass media efforts have had a significant impact. Following
the first Heather ad, 63 per cent of adults got the message that second-hand smoke kills,
while 98 per cent agreed that children should be protected from second-hand smoke.
Half of Canadians know who Heather Crowe is, and 60 per cent recalled seeing the ad in
which she was featured.
Of the youth ads, 90 per cent of adults and 93 per cent of youth found them to be very
or somewhat effective, and 67 per cent of adults and 73 per cent of youth got the message
that second-hand smoke kills.
Among the results are figures on the actions taken by Canadians after seeing the mass
media products on smoking. Nearly 30 per cent stopped smoking inside or in front of their
children after seeing the ads about second-hand smoke in the home. Nearly 20 per cent tried
to quit smoking when they saw the cessation ads and nearly the same number thought about
quitting.
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