This symposium will bring together the expertise of public health academics and practitioners to describe recent research and experiences of tobacco control mass media campaigns in England.
Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham and Bath will present the findings of a project funded by the Medical Research Council's National Prevention Research Initiative on the relative impact of negative 'health consequences' and positive 'how to quit' campaigns on a variety of outcomes including smokers' attempts to quit. This research has demonstrated that both positive and negative emotive campaigns have a role in encouraging smokers to quit.
Representatives from Public Health England will discuss their recent their rationale for, and the impacts of, different tobacco control marketing approaches - including positive campaigns such Stoptober which have been highly effective. The symposium will conclude with a discussion of how academic research into the impact of mass media campaigns can influence the design and magnitude of future campaigns, and how academics and practitioners can work together to maximise the quality and usefulness of research about mass media campaigns.
Source of funding: National Prevention Research Initiative
