Impact Assessment of Health Promotion Agencies
Offering a comprehensive overview of how INHPF members assess their impact, adapt to challenges, and derive insights to shape the future of health promotion.
Social Marketing
and the Power of the Young Generation
for Health Promotion
Contents
Introduction
With the deep engagement of the young generation in technology and social media, they possess the ability to influence their peers, families, and even broader communities.
The young generation plays a pivotal role in driving societal change, particularly in the fast-paced digital era. With their deep engagement in technology and social media, they possess the ability to influence their peers, families, and even broader communities. This makes them a key demographic for initiatives that aim to create long-term social impact.
Health promotion is crucial in addressing modern challenges such as sedentary lifestyles, substance abuse, and the spread of misinformation. These issues affect not only individuals but also the overall well-being of societies. Organizations like ThaiHealth have been exemplary in leveraging innovative strategies to promote healthier lifestyles. Through a combination of social marketing techniques and young generation-focused campaigns, they have set a benchmark for driving change at the grassroots level.
The Young Generation: Drivers of Change
The young generation often inspire behavioral changes within their families. Engaging this demographic ensures that the messages reach the core of communities through relatable and trustworthy advocates.
The young generation holds immense power as trendsetters and digital natives. They dominate platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, making them highly influential in shaping societal behaviors. Their voices resonate strongly with their peers, and they often inspire behavioral changes within their families. Engaging this demographic ensures that the messages reach the core of communities through relatable and trustworthy advocates.
Ensuring the credible health information
The habits formed during adolescence often extend into adulthood. With social media as a dominant source of information, young people are constantly exposed to both accurate and misleading health content. This digital environment shapes their perceptions and decision-making, influencing their behaviors in profound ways.
By ensuring they have access to credible health information, ThaiHealth empowers them to make informed choices that contribute to lasting behavioral change. The information from ThaiHealth and government agencies plays a crucial role in providing research-backed, expert-reviewed, and reliable data to the target audience.
Encouraging healthy habits early
Encouraging healthy habits early not only enhances their quality of life but also leads to broader societal benefits, such as reduced healthcare costs and a healthier population. Campaigns targeting issues like alcohol consumption and smoking have demonstrated the power of engaging the young generation as catalysts for positive change within their communities.
Marketing for Health Promotion
- Creating impactful and credible campaigns
- ThaiHealth has successfully connected with young people through campaigns that align with their interests and communication styles.
The transition from traditional media like TV and radio to digital platforms has reshaped the landscape of health promotion. Social media offers personalized communication and real-time interaction with audiences. However, this shift also brings challenges such as the spread of fake news and the need to create impactful and credible campaigns that resonate with the tech-savvy young generation.
ThaiHealth has successfully connected with young people through campaigns that align with their interests and communication styles. For instance, the “Drink Don’t Drive” campaign combined relatable storytelling with digital outreach to challenge norms around alcohol consumption during festivals. Similarly, the “Secondhand Smoke Kills” initiative raised awareness about the dangers of smoking near children, creating a strong emotional connection with parents.
Campaigns
Drink Don’t Drive
Drink Don’t Drive Campaign aims to discourage driving under the influence of alcohol, particularly during Thailand’s festive periods such as Songkran (Thai New Year) and New Year celebrations. ThaiHealth used a mix of digital media, viral videos, and music to appeal to different age groups within the young generation. For example, they released an EDM-themed music video targeting teenagers and a folk-style video aimed at young workers returning home for the holidays. These videos generated millions of views, creating widespread awareness and helping to reinforce the dangers of drinking and driving.
Giving Liquor is Cursing
This campaign was highly successful, shifting cultural norms around gifting alcohol during festivals and celebrationsleading to societal change where alcohol began to be excluded from gift baskets during holidays.
Giving Liquor is Cursing Campaign is to shift cultural norms around gifting alcohol during festivals and celebrations. ThaiHealth highlighted the negative consequences of giving alcohol as gifts such as health issues and increased accident risks. The campaign used impactful online content, key visuals, and social media to emphasize the message. Labeling the act of giving alcohol as a “curse” invoked strong emotional responses, particularly among young people who were encouraged to change this practice in their families. This campaign was highly successful, leading to societal change where alcohol began to be excluded from gift baskets during holidays.
Year 2013
Year 2013
Year 2013
Secondhand Smoke Kills
This campaign not only increased awareness but also prompted many parents to quit smoking or take preventive measures.
Secondhand Smoke Kills Campaign is to educate parents and guardians about the dangers of secondhand smoke on children. ThaiHealth created powerful advertisements showing how cigarette smoke affects children, even if smoking occurs outside or in adjacent spaces. The campaign used emotional storytelling, often featuring children unable to fulfill their dreams due to illnesses caused by secondhand smoke.
This campaign not only increased awareness but also prompted many parents to quit smoking or take preventive measures.
Thank you for not smoking in public
Year 2019
Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke
Year 2019
Children unable to fulfill their dreams due to illnesses caused by secondhand smoke.
Year 2023
Skip Ads, Skip Talking to Kids About Sex
To encourage parents and guardians to engage in open and honest conversations about sexual health with their children.
Skip Ads, Skip Talking to Kids About Sex Campaign is to encourage parents and guardians to engage in open and honest conversations about sexual health with their children. ThaiHealth creatively utilized YouTube’s “Skip Ad” feature to deliver an interactive message. If viewers chose to skip the ad, the campaign implied they were also skipping the opportunity to educate their children on critical topics like sexual health. This clever tactic caught the attention of viewers, sparking conversations and encouraging parents to take action. The campaign was praised for its originality and effectiveness in addressing a sensitive topic in a way that resonated with both youth and parents.
Move More, Sit Less
The campaign succeeded in making fitness approachable and fun, particularly for young people who hesitated to engage in formal exercise.
Move More, Sit Less Campaign is to tackle sedentary lifestyles among young people and promote physical activity. The campaign used ambient advertisements, TV commercials, and online videos featuring simple, practical exercises. One ad incorporated a Chinese theme to demonstrate how swinging arms for just 30 minutes daily could improve health. These creative and accessible suggestions motivated young people to incorporate movement into their daily routines. The campaign succeeded in making fitness approachable and fun, particularly for young people who hesitated to engage in formal exercise.
Nutrition Campaign: Balanced Meals for Better Health
ThaiHealth introduced the concept of dividing meals into four portions: two parts vegetables, one part meat, and one part rice.
Nutrition Campaign: Balanced Meals for Better Health aims to promote healthier eating habits among young people. ThaiHealth introduced the concept of dividing meals into four portions: two parts vegetables, one part meat, and one part rice. They shared visually appealing content online, including infographics, videos, and interactive tools that encouraged young people to challenge themselves to adopt this balanced approach. By breaking down healthy eating into a clear and actionable framework, this campaign influenced many young people to think more critically about their dietary choices.
Key success factors
- Relatability: These campaigns leverage the daily experiences and concerns of young people, making them feel personally connected to the messages.
- Interactive and Engaging Content: By using formats such as viral videos, YouTube ads, and music, ThaiHealth ensures that the audience stays engaged with the content.
- Emotional Appeal: Many campaigns focus on emotional storytelling, whether it highlights the impact of smoking on children or the consequences of drunk driving, leaving lasting impressions on young viewers.
- Digital Platforms: Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, which dominate young generation media consumption, are central to the campaign strategies.
Empowering Young Generation
as Change Agents
To ensure that young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills to consume and create content responsibly, making them less vulnerable to misinformation.
The young generation are not only recipients of health promotion campaigns but can also be powerful advocates and creators of change. Empowering young people to take an active role in health promotion amplifies the reach and impact of campaigns. When given the right tools and platforms, they can effectively influence their peers, families, and communities.
Media Literacy: The Foundation for Responsible Advocacy
Teaching media literacy is critical in enabling young people to distinguish credible information from misinformation, particularly in the digital era. ThaiHealth has implemented various initiatives to improve media literacy among young people:
- Handbooks and Curricula: ThaiHealth has designed guides to teach young people how to critically analyze online content. These materials cover topics such as identifying fake news, understanding health information, and responsible use of social media.
- Digital Literacy Surveys: By assessing the digital literacy levels of young people, ThaiHealth ensures that their initiatives are tailored to address gaps in understanding. For example, many young people consume health-related content online, but they lack the ability to verify its accuracy.
- Campaign Integration: Media literacy was embedded into campaigns such as “Secondhand Smoke Kills,” where young people learned how to amplify health messages by sharing factual, emotionally compelling stories through their own social media accounts.
These efforts ensure that young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills to consume and create content responsibly, making them less vulnerable to misinformation.
Young Generation-Led Health Advocacy
Involving young people in campaign design, content creation, and message dissemination.
Empowering young people to take the lead in health advocacy has a multiplying effect on campaign impact. ThaiHealth has embraced this strategy by involving young people in campaign design, content creation, and message dissemination. The No Alcohol During Buddhist Lent Campaign is one of the notable examples that encourages Thai people to abstain from alcohol during Buddhist Lent, a three-month period of spiritual reflection.
Leading local events
Young people were encouraged to lead local events promoting the campaign such as community walks, school projects, and online challenges. They created videos sharing their personal experiences with abstaining from alcohol and the benefits they experienced.
Motivating peers and family members
The participation of young people as role models motivated peers and family members to join the movement. It also normalized the idea of not drinking during Buddhist Lent among young audiences.
Young Generation-Led Digital Content Creation
ThaiHealth encouraged young people to become health content creators by organizing workshops on video production, storytelling, and social media marketing. Participants learned how to craft compelling messages and reach their target audiences effectively. During the “World No Tobacco Day” campaign, young creators produced videos and infographics about the dangers of smoking, which were shared widely on platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Key success factors
- Peer influence: Young people tend to trust their peers more than authority figures, making young generation-led initiatives highly effective in driving behavioral change.
- Relatability: When young advocates share their experiences and challenges, their stories resonate more deeply with their audience.
- Creative energy: Young people bring fresh ideas, humor, and innovation to campaigns, making them more engaging and memorable.
- Digital savvy: The younger generation’s natural proficiency with digital platforms enables them to create and share content in ways that maximize reach and impact.
Collaboration and Innovation in Communication
Social Marketing acts as a catalyst for change by raising awareness and engagement across society.
Health promotion is most effective when multiple sectors work together toward a common goal. ThaiHealth adopts a collaborative model that brings together government agencies, academia, private organizations, media partners, and local communities. A key strategy within this model is Social Marketing, which acts as a catalyst for change by raising awareness and engagement across society.
Decentralizing
Rather than relying solely on direct interventions, Social Marketing initiates conversations and sets public agendas on health issues, encouraging various sectors to integrate core health messages into their communication channels. This decentralized approach allows different stakeholders; policymakers, businesses, educators, or community leaders, to adapt and amplify key messages in ways that resonate with their target audiences. These partnerships ensure that campaigns are informed by robust data, reach diverse audiences, and are tailored to cultural contexts, ultimately transforming health promotion from a single-source effort into a widespread movement that reinforces behavioral change through diverse, context-specific approaches.
Key collaborative strategies
- Government Partnerships: ThaiHealth works closely with agencies such as the Ministry of Public Health to align their campaigns with national health policies and priorities. For example, initiatives like “No Alcohol During Buddhist Lent” and “Secondhand Smoke Kills” are supported by regulations that reinforce campaign messages such as restrictions on alcohol advertising and smoke-free zones.
- Academic Collaboration: ThaiHealth collaborates with universities and research institutes to gather data, assess campaign effectiveness, and develop evidence-based strategies. For instance, digital literacy surveys conducted with academic partners help tailor media literacy campaigns to address gaps among young people.
- Private Sector Engagement: ThaiHealth partners with private organizations, including media agencies and advertising firms, to co-develop innovative campaign content. For example, the “Giving Liquor is Cursing” campaign involved creative agencies to produce visually impactful materials that resonated deeply with audiences.
- Community Involvement: Local communities are integral to ThaiHealth’s campaigns. By involving community leaders and grassroots organizations, they ensure that messages are relatable and culturally sensitive. In campaigns like “Move More, Sit Less,” community events led by local young people encouraged participation and built a sense of collective action.
Building a Sustainable Health Ecosystem
Creating a sustainable health ecosystem involves integrating long-term strategies to promote well-being and adapting to evolving societal needs. ThaiHealth has adopted a holistic approach to ensure lasting impact through education, technology, and media.
Key strategies
- Ensure that healthy habits are instilled early.
- Provide continuous support for behavior change.
- Relevant to young audiences who are the drivers of long-term societal change.
- Reach all segments of society.
- Promote changes that are easy to adopt and sustain, building a culture of well-being over time.
- Integrating education: Embedding health promotion in school curricula ensures that healthy habits are instilled early. ThaiHealth’s workshops for parents and teachers in the “Infant Development” initiative empower communities to prioritize child well-being from the start.
- Leveraging digital tools: ThaiHealth uses digital platforms and applications to provide continuous support for behavior change. For example, digital tools in the “No Alcohol During Buddhist Lent” campaign allowed participants to track progress, encouraging sustained alcohol abstinence.
- Adapting to media trends: Recognizing the growing dominance of digital media, ThaiHealth has shifted its focus to platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. This ensures campaigns remain relevant to young audiences who are the drivers of long-term societal change.
- Fostering collaboration: Partnerships with government agencies, private companies, and communities create a network that supports health promotion efforts, ensuring that resources and messages reach all segments of society.
- Encouraging behavioral change: Campaigns like “Move More, Sit Less” and “Balanced Meals for Better Health” promote small, actionable changes that are easy to adopt and sustain, building a culture of well-being over time.
The power of the young generation, coupled with ThaiHealth’s innovative strategies, highlights the potential of social marketing in health promotion. By leveraging relatable content, emotional storytelling, and young generation-led initiatives, ThaiHealth has effectively driven societal change, encouraged healthier lifestyles, and fostered a sustainable health ecosystem. The integration of media literacy and collaboration across sectors further ensures long-term impact, empowering young people to be both advocates and creators of positive change for future generations.
