A bravo for the majority
Tobacco Prevention: Following awareness campaigns and warnings, tobacco use is steadily declining. This is due in no small part to By Heart and cR Kommunikation.
Tobacco prevention Following awareness-raising and warnings, tobacco consumption is steadily declining. Not least thanks to By Heart and cR communication.successful, sustainable changes in behavior and attitudes towards tobacco smoking have increased. They have undoubtedly been strongly influenced by more smoking bans and restrictions at all levels - from the global WHO framework convention on tobacco control to the EU's package of measures and the various restrictions at federal and cantonal level.Even before these changes, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) launched a tobacco prevention campaign in 2001, which has since been managed by the agencies By Heart and cR Kommunikation. This involved a multi-stage advertising concept. In a first, two-year phase, it performed awareness-raising and educational tasks. The facts of the health risks were allowed to speak for themselves in a penetratingly undercooled manner and set against unspectacular images in order to draw attention to the discrepancy between negated reality and rational everyday life. This schizophrenic behavior of smokers was also pointed out in the second phase, which listed all toxic substances such as arsenic or lead and showed the vice from an unusual perspective: smokers, who are hardly proud of their addiction, stood with their backs to the viewer. With the documented, laborious attempts to quit, the campaign wanted to warn young people against starting and at the same time encourage those who were aiming to quit permanently.
From non-smoker protection to BravoIn the third phase, the advertisers allowed passive smokers the right to fresh air by confronting smokers with their own reactions: "Does it bother you to smoke when I'm eating?" and similar inverted phrases that you never hear from people who are bothered were used in commercials, while the print and poster versions were more explicit and encouraged people to express their displeasure: "I stink!" was the message.
The fourth, recently launched phase focuses on the results achieved, which are astonishing even for those responsible for the campaign. "The speed of the paradigm shift is impressive by Swiss standards," says PR manager Stefan Batzli looking back. He bases this on the latest tobacco monitoring data: whereas in 2001 a good third of the Swiss population smoked, in 2005 the figure was three percent lower. The trend among young people is even more encouraging. According to the FOPH, the proportion of 14 to 19-year-olds who smoke has fallen from 31 to 25 percent in the same period.
The more proactive opponents of smoking, the protection of minors, the progressive regulation of tobacco advertising and higher prices have also contributed to this consumption trend. In general, awareness of the problem has reached a new level. Before the start of the campaign, there were around 50 media reports on the subject per year; in 2005, the average was around 300 per month.
This development reinforces the FOPH's efforts, which is why it was taken as an opportunity to congratulate all those who no longer smoke or have never started smoking. In keeping with the new look, the claim "Smoking harms" has been replaced by "Less smoke, more life". The popular headline - a simple Bravo with a broken cigarette in place of the V - is also intended to have a positive reinforcing effect. "We haven't reached our goal yet," CD Hans Siegwart qualifies.
But we are moving in a very good direction. The praise is aimed at a changing Switzerland, he continues. With authentic examples of school classes that have voluntarily given up smoking, companies that have set up smoke-free workplaces, sports clubs that have campaigned for smoke-free sport, public transport and smoke-free restaurants. Even the two national soccer team players Raphael Wicky and Tranquillo Barnetta were won over for the unaffected testimonial concept.
In addition to the six print subjects, the new online portal (www.bravo.ch) with games and a competition, there are three TV commercials that implement the obvious change of heart using real success stories and the confirming closing sentence "More and more people are joining in". One example is FC Engstringen. The dynamic change in the function of the ashtrays forms the storyline of the stories. At the football club, it has been given a place of honor as a ball holder on the shelf. In the advertisements, the copy has the role of documenting the original sound, as the example of the 9th grade of the orientation school in Plaffeien shows with their participation in the "Non-smoking experiment" in line with the target group.
Paradigm shiftAccording to the latest "Swiss Tobacco Consumption Survey"
60 percent of respondents were in favor of raising tobacco prices to CHF 6.90, 67 percent were in favor of restricting tobacco advertising to the POS and 92 percent were in favor of a ban on sales to young people. Luca Aloisi
From non-smoker protection to BravoIn the third phase, the advertisers allowed passive smokers the right to fresh air by confronting smokers with their own reactions: "Does it bother you to smoke when I'm eating?" and similar inverted phrases that you never hear from people who are bothered were used in commercials, while the print and poster versions were more explicit and encouraged people to express their displeasure: "I stink!" was the message.
The fourth, recently launched phase focuses on the results achieved, which are astonishing even for those responsible for the campaign. "The speed of the paradigm shift is impressive by Swiss standards," says PR manager Stefan Batzli looking back. He bases this on the latest tobacco monitoring data: whereas in 2001 a good third of the Swiss population smoked, in 2005 the figure was three percent lower. The trend among young people is even more encouraging. According to the FOPH, the proportion of 14 to 19-year-olds who smoke has fallen from 31 to 25 percent in the same period.
The more proactive opponents of smoking, the protection of minors, the progressive regulation of tobacco advertising and higher prices have also contributed to this consumption trend. In general, awareness of the problem has reached a new level. Before the start of the campaign, there were around 50 media reports on the subject per year; in 2005, the average was around 300 per month.
This development reinforces the FOPH's efforts, which is why it was taken as an opportunity to congratulate all those who no longer smoke or have never started smoking. In keeping with the new look, the claim "Smoking harms" has been replaced by "Less smoke, more life". The popular headline - a simple Bravo with a broken cigarette in place of the V - is also intended to have a positive reinforcing effect. "We haven't reached our goal yet," CD Hans Siegwart qualifies.
But we are moving in a very good direction. The praise is aimed at a changing Switzerland, he continues. With authentic examples of school classes that have voluntarily given up smoking, companies that have set up smoke-free workplaces, sports clubs that have campaigned for smoke-free sport, public transport and smoke-free restaurants. Even the two national soccer team players Raphael Wicky and Tranquillo Barnetta were won over for the unaffected testimonial concept.
In addition to the six print subjects, the new online portal (www.bravo.ch) with games and a competition, there are three TV commercials that implement the obvious change of heart using real success stories and the confirming closing sentence "More and more people are joining in". One example is FC Engstringen. The dynamic change in the function of the ashtrays forms the storyline of the stories. At the football club, it has been given a place of honor as a ball holder on the shelf. In the advertisements, the copy has the role of documenting the original sound, as the example of the 9th grade of the orientation school in Plaffeien shows with their participation in the "Non-smoking experiment" in line with the target group.
Paradigm shiftAccording to the latest "Swiss Tobacco Consumption Survey"
60 percent of respondents were in favor of raising tobacco prices to CHF 6.90, 67 percent were in favor of restricting tobacco advertising to the POS and 92 percent were in favor of a ban on sales to young people. Luca Aloisi
