First evaluation results from the Aboriginal Rethink Sugary Drink campaign show that these important health messages are resonating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The evaluation published in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia highlights that the over half of people who saw the Aboriginal Rethink Sugary Drink ad cut down on their sugary drink intake and also agreed it had an important message for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
The Aboriginal campaign, developed by the Rethink Sugary Drink alliance, stresses how much sugar is loaded into sugary drinks and the health risks associated with regular consumption. The ad was seen to be more believable, to be more relevant and to have an important message for the Aboriginal community compared to the LiveLighter advertisement.
Louise Lyons, Director of the Public Health and Research Unit, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), said the evaluation results demonstrate the cut through and value of having ads directed primarily at an Aboriginal audience. “Because this ad was developed in consultation with local Aboriginal people, it delivers a relevant and culturally appropriate message to our communities – sugary drinks are not good for our health and to go for water instead”.
Launched online in 2015 and broadcast on NITV in the same year, the Victorian-made ad is hitting the mark with Victorian Aboriginal communities and other Aboriginal communities around Australia.
Online surveys completed by 150 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adults from around Australia showed that 60% of participants who had seen the ad reported that they drank less sugary drinks.
A key message of the ad is that there are 16 teaspoons of sugar in a regular 600mL bottle of soft drink. Almost two-thirds (64%) of survey respondents who had seen the ad previously were able to correctly identify the sugar content of regular soft drink, compared with less than half (49%) those who had not seen it previously.
Check out the latest campaign from Rethink Sugary Drink featuring Victorian Aboriginal community members sharing how cutting back on sugary drinks helped their health and wellbeing here!
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