Remaking Echo in Australia

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Re-making Echo in Australia

• Trish Cotter
• Cancer Institute NSW

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Background

• New organisation, new money, renewed commitment
  to tobacco control in NSW.
• Imperatives
• early results (Cancer Plan commitment 1 decline
  per year).
• spend the money on smokers not ad agencies.
• adapt or use existing material.
• broad relevance across the smoker market
  (self-exempting beliefs).
• Creative concept adapted from successful
  Californian campaign.

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ECHO Californian campaign
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Excuses Campaign

• Campaign aimed to
• Challenge common self-exempting beliefs and
  behaviours.
• Give smokers impetus to quit now rather than
  later.
• Increase smokers knowledge of the health effects
  of smoking.
• Acknowledge quitting is difficult.
• Provide an avenue to quit through the Quitline.

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Pre-campaign focus testingCalifornian version
huge potential

• Prevents the usual tactic of playing down the
  risks.
• Smokers left feeling it could be them.
• Before and after effect makes it more real, more
  threatening.
• Evidence that the ad would motivate consideration
  of quitting.
• Locally relevant script alternatives viable.
• Minor adjustments for cultural differences.

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Echo TV.
Version A
Echo 30 TV. Version A
I cant go more than a few hours without a
cigarette.
I cant go more than a few feet without the
oxygen tank.
Im only a social smoker
I haven't been out of this room in weeks.
I have trouble getting out of bed without a
smoke.
I have trouble getting out of bed.
No, I dont think I can quit.
I dont think I can operate.
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Echo TV.
Version B
Echo 30 TV. Version B
I cant go more than a few hours without a
cigarette.
I cant go more than a few feet without the
oxygen tank.
I tried to quit and put on three kilos.
Ive lost 14 kilos.
Youve got to die of something.
Youve got to keep your hopes up.
No, I dont think I can quit.
I dont think I can operate.
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Research method

• FOCUS? Awareness, attitudes and motivation to
  quit
• WHAT? Telephone interviews (continuous
  information tracking)
• WHO? Smokers 16
• WHERE? Sydney metro and regional NSW TV markets
• HOW MANY? Baseline n100 then n40 interviews
  per week for 18 weeks

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Recognition of the Echo campaign was very strong

• Recognition a function of
• Media reach
• Ability of creative to get noticed

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Echo TARPS by Quitline Calls
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The ad itself is engaging the audience
Base NSW smokers 16 seen 'Echo' w/c 14/4- wc
11/7/05 (n415 weighted data)
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Communication of key ideas generally clear
Communication also measured at a spontaneous
level - Widespread understanding of the key
messages.
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Echo is - encouraging people to think about
quitting
Not all smokers have the same interest and desire
to quit right now
16 likely to stop
56 think about quitting
Base NSW smokers 16 seen 'Echo' w/c 14/4 w/c
11/7/05 (n415 weighted data)
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Key learning from the Echo campaign

• Very good awareness among the target audience
  85 of smokers seen the TV advertising.
• Echo advertising
• engaged the audience
• seen as believable and relevant
• Communication of key ideas clear.
• Echo motivating smokers to think again about
  quitting.
• More relevant to those already thinking about
  quitting.

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Conclusion

• The Echo Campaign in Australia was
• Effective in reaching its objectives.
• Concept of self-explanation/excuses successful.
• Culturally transferable with minor adjustments.
• Likely to be relevant across most cultures.
• Always pre-test looking for issues and
  opportunities.