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Current Campaign

What's the point in smoking when all it does is cost you?

The current media campaign targets 12 to 15-year-olds and aims to reinforce the short-term effects of smoking, challenge the point of smoking and reinforce that smoking is not the norm.

This media campaign first went to air in 2008 and includes three 15 second advertisements, called 'Burnt (Shopping)', 'Burnt (Footy)' and 'Miss out'. 'What's the point in smoking when all it does is cost you?' is the tagline of the campaign, with 'cost you' referring to smoking costing your fitness, your looks, your social life and your money – so what's the point? Radio and print materials have also been developed to reinforce the campaign messages.

2010 Campaign Activity

Historically the Smarter than Smoking Project has conducted two waves of mass media each year.  In 2010, mass media campaigns aired in March (Term 1) and August (Term 3).  A three week state-wide Smarter than Smoking media campaign went to air on television, radio and online from 1-22 August 2010. Cinema advertising commenced on 1 July 2010 to take advantage of the school holiday period.  

Click here to view the Smarter than Smoking Campaign Summary - August 2010

Click here to view the Smarter than Smoking Campaign Summary - March 2010

Immediately following the August 2010 media campaign, school-based evaluation took place with 982 students surveyed from 21 schools across the metropolitan and regional area to gauge the success of the campaign. Campaign evaluation results indicate that non-smoking continues to become more widespread among 12 - 16 year olds, with 84% claiming to have never smoked in their life - a significant increase from 2007 (73%) and from the 1996 benchmark survey (40%). 

Overall 'Burnt/Miss out' has been the most efficient advertising campaign for Smarter than Smoking ever.  It has recorded the highest level of correct message take-out and the short-term effects of smoking are now well engrained in the target group. 

Smarter than Smoking continues to see positive shifts in preventing the trial and uptake of smoking however wear out is setting in and it is time to evolve the campaign to reflect the current attitudes of young people. 

2011 Campaign Activity

In 2011, a new and very different Smarter than Smoking media campaign will be launched in August.  The campaign will be informed by significant research undertaken with the target audience in 2010 and will have a much greater online component.

 A four week media campaign will go to air in Term 1 from 6 March - 3 April 2011. Television advertisements from the previous 2005-2007 'Eyes' campaign will be used for this campaign.

Click here to view the Smarter than Smoking Campaign Summary - July 2009 and August 2008 evaluation results (PDF 397KB)