E-poster Presentation 2014 World Cancer Congress

No more hiding: capitalising on the conversation around plain packaging through viral video (#1060)

Jessica Craven 1
  1. Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Background and Context: Following the introduction of plain packaging in Australia on December 1st 2012, Quit Victoria set out to produce an online video that capitalized on the high level of interest and conversation around plain packaging and the larger graphic health warnings and encourage smokers to make a quit attempt.

Aim: To motivate smokers who were using avoidance strategies to dodge the new and larger graphic health warnings to make a quit attempt 

Strategy/Tactics: The 'No More Hiding' digital campaign was aimed at smokers who were attempting to dodge the new and bigger graphic health warnings on their plain packaged cigarettes. Smokers who were attempting to avoid the warnings by picking and choosing different packets at the shop or otherwise covering them up were asked to think about what they were really hiding from in the digital campaign.

Programme/Policy Process: With only a $20,000 budget for production and promotion, an online video that could be shared through a social media and YouTube campaign was the best way to achieve the campaign objectives. A simple one page site nomorehiding.com.au was built to house the video, facilitate sharing and offer direct links to quitting advice on the Quit Victoria website.

 

Outcomes/What was learned:  Despite a very small budget and a very tight timeline, Quit Victoria was able to achieve more than 60,000 views through a carefully targeted social media and unpaid media strategy. The campaign was shared by several high-profile people on social media including Australia's Health Minister Tanya Plibersek. We learnt that digital video can be a very quick and efficient way of spreading a message but that it has a much greater chance of flourishing if it is supported by even a small advertising spend as well as targeted social media and PR promotion.