The document evaluates a €33 million EU anti-smoking campaign targeting young smokers aged 24-35, launched in 2011 and concluded in 2015. Key findings indicate the campaign reached 19 million smokers, with 450,000 signing up for support and 65,000 reporting successful quits, though it cost €500 per smoker who quit. Recommendations for future campaigns suggest reusing successful messaging, targeting specific demographics more effectively, and incorporating evaluation from the outset.

1. Evaluation case study
August 2021
Dr Glenn O’Neil

2. 2
There are currently 28 million
smokers aged 24-35 in
28 Member States of the EU
In 2011, the EU launched a
€ 33 million EU wide anti-smoking
campaign targeting young people
across Europe for 3 years
I was part of the evaluation team
that evaluated the campaign in 2015
Background

3. 3
Campaign approach
“Ex-smokers are unstoppable” campaign
emphasized the benefits of becoming an ex-
smoker; it was not a prevention campaign
The campaign focused less on negative
“shock” tactics used in anti-smoking
campaigns

4. 4

5. 5
1. Highlight the benefits of giving up smoking
and encourage and assist citizens to help
them quit;
2. Raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco;
3. Contribute to ensuring that new generations
live longer and healthier lives in a smoke-
free Europe
Campaign objectives

6. 6
Activities

7. 7
What should we evaluate?
How should we evaluate?

8. 8
What should we evaluate?
Did the campaign reach its
objectives?
Effectiveness
Reach Awareness Attitudes Action Change

9. 9
What should we evaluate?
What worked well?
Efficiency
Cost-efficiency Activities Future campaigns

10. 10
Why should we evaluate?
Prove and improve

11. 11
How should we evaluate?
Monitoring data:
web, media,
social media,
iCoach
Stakeholder
surveys and
interviews
Focus groups
and surveys of
smokers and
ex-smokers
iCoach users
interviews
Analysis of
campaign
financial reports

12. Evaluation matrix
KPI Methods Sources
To what extent
did the campaign
achieve its
objectives?
Evaluation question
No. of smokers
reached
No. of smokers
aware of
campaign
No. of Smokers
registering on
iCoach
No. of registered
users stopping
smoking
Which campaign
channel was the
most cost-efficient?
Cost of user
reached per
channel
Financial analysis Campaign
financial reports
and reach data
Media monitoring
Surveys
Interviews
iCoach monitoring
data
Media / social
media
Smokers
iCoach users
Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.

13. 13
Key findings – reach to action
19 million smokers
reached
450,000 signed
up to iCoach
65,000 reported
quitting smoking
69% 1.6% 0.2%
It cost €500 for each smoker who quit

14. 14
Key findings – role of campaign
19 million smokers
reached
450,000 signed
up to iCoach
65,000 reported
quitting smoking
Role of:
• Nicotine
replacements
• E-cigarettes
• Self-help literature
• Already decided to
stop smoking
• Only one-third of
smokers seek
support or
assistance to stop
Role of:
• Influence of family
and friends
• Cost of smoking

15. 15
Advantages of stopping
smoking
Financial benefits from
stopping smoking
Better physical shape from
stopping smoking
Better life from stopping
smoking
Positive messaging was
appreciated by audiences
Key findings - Messaging
Most successful with Southern
Europe, men, those already
decided to stop smoking

16. 16
Key findings – cost per channel
Print
Digital
TV
€ 8 million
€ 7.4 million
€ 2.3 million
5.4 million
43.7 million
6.3 million
€ 1.49
€ 0.17
€ 0.37
Cost
No. of
smokers
25-34 years
reached
Cost per
smoker
reached

17. 17
1. Highlight the benefits of giving up smoking
and encourage and assist citizens to help
them quit;
2. Raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco;
3. Contribute to ensuring that new generations
live longer and healthier lives in a smoke-
free Europe
Campaign objectives – achieved?

18. 18
Recommendations
What would you recommend based
on these findings for future EU
campaigns on smoking and other
health issues?

19. 19
Recommendations
1. Repeat and reuse the campaign concept,
messaging and tools
2. Adopt a more targeted approach:
Southern and Eastern European countries
and women
3. Use a mix of digital and TV channels
4. Improve objective setting and
measurement
5. Build evaluation into future campaigns
from the start

20. 20
Conclusions
• All communicators have a role in
monitoring and evaluation
• Thinking about evaluation before you start
helps you map out activities to change
desired
• Showing the results of communications is
feasible
• Value is focusing on the outcome level –
what did your communications change?

21. 21
Q&A

22. Report & contact details
oneil@owlre.com
glennoneil
www.owlre.com
@glenn_oneil
www.intelligentmeasurement. net
Contacts:
http://publications.europa.eu/resource/cellar
/4c008831-cef9-11e5-a4b5-
01aa75ed71a1.0001.01/DOC_1