Every Breath - campaign overview
The Every Breath campaign revealed the truth behind the UK’s fifth biggest killer and its devastating links to smoking.
The campaign launched by FRESH in partnership with the British Lung Foundation - highlighted the harsh realities of suffering from smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in a bid to encourage more people to quit smoking.
The campaign was backed by music star Sting who gave permission for the lyrics of his song ‘Every breath you take’ to be used.
The North East has the worst rates of COPD in the country. Most cases of COPD are caused by smoking and hospital admissions from COPD cost the NHS in the North East £50m a year - but it is estimated that there are more than 32,000 undiagnosed cases in the region.
All too often sufferers dismiss the early warning signs of a cough and breathlessness as a "normal" part of being a smoker.Before the campaign, research showed two thirds (67 per cent) of smokers in the North East said they did not know what COPD was.
The campaign launched with a TV campaign using Sting's lyrics to the Police song ‘Every Breath you take.’ It highlighted the links between smoking and lung disease and the progression of COPD on a young female smoker and its devastating impact on her family.
A shocking radio campaign also invited listeners to participate in a breathing exercise, which simulated the effects of being short of breath with COPD.
Before the campaign, research showed two thirds (67 per cent) of smokers in the North East said they did not know what COPD was. An independent survey of North East smokers who saw the TV campaign found that 67% of people saw the campaign, and of those:
• 76%said seeing it made them more concerned about their smoking, with higher concern levels about developing a smoking related disease among those who saw or heard it
• 66%said that it made them more likely to quit after seeing it.
• 92% said it was believable
• 77% found it relevant to them
• 76% said it made them stop and think
Most smokers who saw the campaign were left in little doubt that being short of breath is often a sign of a more serious problem, which could be related to smoking.
• 68%of those recalling the campaign were aware that breathlessness is an early symptom of COPD, compared to 24% of those who did not see it
• 63% of those recalling the campaign were aware tha