From encouraging smokers to quit to helping people be more active, public health campaigns have a long history of trying to shift behaviours with varied levels of success. What can we learn from looking at some of the most successful public health campaigns from the UK from the past 10 years and what lessons do they teach us about communications?
- Clarity That Cuts Through
One of the most striking features of successful campaigns is their ability to encapsulate complex health information into easy, actionable and clear phrases. For instance, the stroke awareness campaign Act F.A.S.T. was able to translate a potentially overwhelming medical issue into a simple acronym – Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 999 – that people can easily recall and act on in a crisis.
In terms of actionable messaging, no slogan is better known than the Five a Day message which was part of the wider Change4Life campaign. While this was an overarching public health campaign that aimed to change behaviour across multiple areas – including other slogans such as Cut Back Fat and Get Going Every Day – it was Five a Day that truly stood out. The slogan still prevails due to its ability to create a measurable goal, so much so that it has now become embedded in national public discourse.
- Think About Your Audience
The campaigns that stay with us are often those that feel personal and that speak directly to the people they aim to influence. For a campaign to truly resonate, it must be rooted in a deep understanding of its target audience: their values, their barriers, and what motivates them to act.
A standout example is the This Girl Can campaign, which was launched by Sport England to encourage more women to get active. Rather than promoting an idealised version of fitness, the campaign celebrated real, diverse women of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities engaging in physical activity. Crucially, it also recognised the barriers and insecurities many women experience around sport and exercise, and addressed them head-on. By doing so, the campaign successfully reframed the conversation around fitness, and is credited with helping over 2.8 million women become more active.
- The Power of Timing
Timing is crucial when delivering a campaign, as it can significantly influence public engagement and uptake. Dry January, for example, has been particularly effective because it taps into a natural moment of reflection and reset after the festive season, when many people are more receptive to making positive lifestyle changes.
By contrast, Stoptober, which encourages people to give up smoking in October, has a lower level of public recognition and cultural traction as October doesn’t carry the same sense of fresh start for the public.
- Partnerships That Build Momentum
For a campaign to be successful, partnerships are key in extending their reach, building further credibility and achieving long-term impact. The Every Mind Matters campaign, which highlights ways that everyone can look after their mental wellbeing, enlisted schools, employers, and members of the Royal Family to help open conversations about mental wellbeing. These partnerships helped spread the message beyond traditional media channels, embedding it into workplaces, schools, and communities where it could have a meaningful and lasting influence.
- Adapting to a Changing Health Landscape
Finally, successful public health campaigns are always evolving and responding to new social contexts in order to address emerging challenges. Health behaviours and public attitudes are constantly shifting, and campaigns must also react to this.
A good example is the evolution of the Change4Life campaign into Better Health in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. While Change4Life focused largely on family health and childhood obesity, Better Health expanded its focus to include adult obesity, mental health, smoking, and vitamin D awareness, reflecting the broader health concerns brought in focus by the pandemic.
These five learnings highlight the essential ingredients behind successful public health campaigns. By applying these principles, organisations can capture attention and inspire action that leads to improved health outcomes.
At PLMR we are experts in health communications – whether you’re launching a campaign, looking to refresh your approach, or want to drive meaningful change, we can support you achieve your goals.
