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No Smoking Day 2009 – still one of the UK’s most effective health awareness campaigns
Vishnee Sauntoo, Marketing Director, No Smoking Day, London, UK
Abstract
No Smoking Day is an annual health awareness campaign in its 26th year – helping people who want to stop smoking. Organised by a charity of the same name, the Day brings together public health professionals and others with an interest in smoking cessation.
Local events and significant media coverage are used to trigger quit attempts – this year with the help of No Smoking Day’s President Duncan Bannatyne – young people were asked to help spread the No Smoking Day message. With routine and manual smokers being the key target for most services, children and young people were shown to be a key reason for this group of smokers to quit. The campaign image relating to money was also very appropriate considering the current recession.
In 2009, No Smoking Day was held on Wednesday 11 March. Results from post-campaign commissioned research show: 50% of the UK population were aware of No Smoking Day 2009, rising to 61% of smokers. Of those smokers who were aware of No Smoking Day, 15% made a quit attempt – almost one in six smokers. Of those smokers who were aware of No Smoking Day, one in three smokers (38%) made a positive step towards quitting on the Day.
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