Advertising for a healthier life

When was the last time you saw a billboard that made you stop and smile? Or maybe think, that’s a clever bit of advertising? Have you ever bought something because of what you have seen on a billboard? I have. Well, it was a service rather than an object or item. I was prompted by a Specsavers advertisement to go and get my eyes tested, which I did. The test was free and the Specsavers billboard advertisement at least got me into their store. However, I thought the price of their glasses was exorbitant and left with just my prescription. I was able to get this filled by an online supplier for a fraction of the price.

It was the late author, historian and art collector, Dr Jeffery Lant*, who is credited with developing the idea that people must see or hear an advertising message at least seven times before they take action – this is the so called ‘Rule of 7’ marketing approach. Advertising on billboards is a great way of utilising this concept. It’s why we see so many on roads, the side of buildings and so on, in fact anywhere where there is likely to be large numbers of people passing every day. It is estimated that most of us spend up to three hours and 10 minutes each day being ‘out and about’. Many companies will spend significant sums of money with advertising firms to create advertisements that are eye-catching and clever.

However, this approach can sometimes go spectacularly wrong. One of the most complained about billboard adverts ever was the Sophie Dahl Opium advert. It was certainly eye-catching, but deemed offensive, sexually suggestive and degrading to women. It was eventually banned and was only allowed to feature in a limited number of magazines. Whether the controversy led to an increase in sale of the perfume I don’t know, but it did show the power such advertising can have in engaging public opinion.  Likewise, the now famous ‘Labour isn’t working’ poster used by the Conservative Party in the 1979 general election is said to have contributed to the election of Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first female head of state.

Where billboards are located is also important. Last week Adfree sites (a group that campaigns against the expansion of advertising) published a piece of research that looked at the relationship between advertising, income, and deprivation in England and Wales. Interestingly, they found that over 80% of all billboard advertisements are to be found in areas where folk have little or low amounts of disposable income. The researchers argue that advertising found can often negatively impact on peoples’ lives, as they tend to focus heavily on unhealthy fast foods, and alcohol for example.

One of the report’s authors, Professor Emma Boyland, noted that such advertising risked worsening health inequalities, and more so in the case of children. Rising levels of obesity and diabetes in children for example, have been linked to unhealthy diets often consisting of ultra-processed foods and the over indulgence of takeaway meals. Last year, three of the most well-known fast-food chains in the UK were among the top five spenders of billboard advertising.

There are no easy answers to address this problem. Such advertising can be big revenue generators for local councils. Once billboards are granted planning permission, it can be difficult to get them removed. However, whilst advertising unhealthy foods and alcohol can lead to unhealthy consumption, these are just two factors contributing to individual and population health inequalities. Low income, smoking, poor housing and physical inactivity are also major contributing factors.

Have a look at the comprehensive King’s Fund report here for a much fuller explanation of the impact these and other factors can have on individuals and populations. Sadly, Blackpool, where I now live, features badly against most measures of health inequalities.

We also know that folk with a low income and or living in poverty will find it much harder to access healthcare than those in higher income communities. This is particularly true when trying to gain access to primary care, mental health services and dental care. There are many reasons that add to these difficulties. Taking unpaid time off work, the cost of travelling to appointments and the stigma that surrounds poverty. In addition, they often experience a worse response when they do manage to access such services.

I think there may well be an argument to spend some of the NHS funding on more health promoting advertisements. You might think this would be a costly diversion of money from frontline services, but set that cost against the rising costs associated with just treating obesity for example and it could be seen as money well spent.

 

 

*Speaking in 1997, at the age of 71, Jeffery Lant claimed he didn’t feel ready to retire – he said ‘my work can never be finished, because every time I put fingers to the keyboard, I like to believe that I’m changing the world just a little bit’ – sentiments I can identify with.