2014 Silver Best Integrated Campaign

Client Scottish Government

How did the campaign make a difference? The Scottish Government's target audience of C2DE parents already have a fair understanding of passive smoking. Most think that by smoking out of sight – such as in another room or when kids are in bed – they're doing enough to protect kids. But second-hand smoke (SHS) is the invisible, toxic smoke that lingers long after you think it's gone. It's particularly harmful to kids as their lungs and immune systems are still developing.

This campaign busted 'safe smoking' myths and provided definitive prevention advice to 'take it right outside'.

By increasing their knowledge of SHS, the audience were given the motivation and facts to change their habits. 64% of campaign recognisers took action to reduce SHS-inducing behaviours as a result, including 30% stopping smoking in the home.

Strategy The public didn't know the difference between second-hand smoke and passive smoking – so the campaign needed to increase understanding of SHS to get smokers to reassess. The strategy became to bust myths and offer definitive advice on protecting kids. It was vital to show people how SHS works in order to convince them to change habits – and it was also important to recognise parents' efforts to smoke 'safely' whilst explaining those efforts were ineffective.

Insight Gathering showed that people saw this as a two-dimensional debate: 'Can I smoke outside or not?'. A quit message would encourage audience deflection so, in a bold move for a government campaign, the team aimed to open minds to new 'coping strategies' instead. Crucially, the call to action – 'For your kids' sake, take it right outside' – offered a positive choice to a quit-averse audience.

Creativity While many SHS ads show smoke, the 'Dirty Air' campaign avoided this – instead educating about SHS by 'making the invisible visible', using the image of a young boy with dirty lungs as a hard-hitting icon across all collateral.

A TV ad reached parents at peak smoking mindset, in the evening and on VoD. Radio ads busted 'safe smoking' myths. Online, banners interrupted key smoking moments and Daily Record homepage takeovers drove awareness. Rich media formats focused on in-ad education. Rightoutside.org used parallax scrolling to mimic SHS moving through a house, whilst augmented reality made a family photo educational. Bus rears targeted drivers. 37 partners amplified the campaign message – family-friendly organisations like playgroups and major retailers like Asda. Car dealerships used air fresheners to promote smoke-free cars. Extensive PR supported the whole campaign.

Results Independent evaluation noted "evidence of cut-through in a cluttered environment, very good levels of campaign recognition, with the media mix… generating campaign recognition and high levels of motivation".

Surveying showed a significant shift in attitude and understanding towards SHS. 95% of campaign recognisers recognised that children breathe faster than adults and therefore breathe more harmful chemicals; 97% knew harmful chemicals from SHS can linger in the air for a hours, 41% realised it can linger long after you stop seeing or smelling it and 52% of those who smoke disagreed strongly that "it's ok to smoke in the home when children are in the room, as long as you smoke near an as you smoke near an open window/door" (versus 66%, 76%, 27% and 38% for non-recognisers).