CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Is there really no value at all to an advertising campaign?

(4 posts)

  1. fimm
    Member

    ... or have I not quite understood PoP correctly? Are they actually saying that the money would be better spent on infrastructure, or that adverts are a good way of being seen to do "something" rather than actually doing anything?

    We get campaigns about drink driving, and there was one about driving and texting, and "think bike" for the motorcyclists, and I saw one on the TV the other day that was about thinking about what sort of attitudes to other road users you are teaching your child.

    I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any evidence for the effectiveness of this kind of thing? The drink driving ones have been going on for years, and I think in that time attitudes to it have changed. I know there's also a lot of enforcement goes into the drink driving campaigns too.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. crowriver
    Member

    I know there's also a lot of enforcement goes into the drink driving campaigns too.

    There's the difference. We all know how much enforcement applies to road users showing 'respect' for each other...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    Seatbelts and drink driving are indeed good examples - because both were backed up by serious police and political commitment to enforcement that changed norms of what was acceptable.

    I've blogged here about why I think behavioural campaigns don't work
    http://www.deceasedcanine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/we-dont-need-no-education.html

    And here about why a campaign for 'space' is important and different from behavioural change

    http://deceasedcanine.blogspot.ca/2013/07/space-for-cycling-more-radical-than-you.html

    However, I would not criticise a behavioural campaign per se. It is its use in isolation here that makes it such a waste of time and money. Especially if there is not persistent and consistent enforcement.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. sallyhinch
    Member

    Some evidence here http://www.cph.org.uk/publication/road-traffic-accidents-a-review-of-evidence-for-prevention/

    Environment is the most effective way to prevent road accidents. Some very targeted education campaigns (eg use of child seats) are effective. General campaigns without enforcement are not shown to be effective. The contrast between drink driving and mobile phone use is pretty striking.

    The evaluation of most of these campaigns are based on whether people recall them or at most whether they claim to have changed their behaviour. Not on whether they actually make the roads safer.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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