Influential has revealed the latest creative for its Simple Things public health marketing campaign
It’s the third year the agency has worked with Champs Public Health Collaborative on the campaign for the Cheshire and Merseyside region.
This year, the focus is on how encouraging healthy habits in children can ”keep us all well” over the winter period.
“Our key message with this latest campaign was to highlight how children can play a role in helping to keep everyone in the family well, by simply washing their hands,” explained Tracey Lambert, Head of Communications at the Champs Public Health Collaborative.
“We were keen to show how easy it is to pick up germs from everyday items but, crucially, accepting that we come into contact with bacteria all the time and that we cannot avoid it – the important thing is to make sure we are washing our hands at key points.
“This campaign manages to do just that and we’re confident that, as it rolls out, we can have a real impact on people’s behaviours across Cheshire and Merseyside.”
It came following research showing that 74% of parents reported having to take time off in the past year to care for sick children, while 62% said they often catch illnesses from their children.
The research led to an investigation by Influential and the Collaborative, which revealed that microbes, including bacteria commonly found in faeces, are present in child-friendly spaces, such as soft play centres, outdoor playgrounds, and even on toys in the home.
The multi-channel campaign will running across out-of-home, social media and PR, which reveals the full results from the investigation, including images of petri dishes growing bacteria to highlight just how it can build up on everyday surfaces.
“After hearing the emotional and practical impact illnesses can have on families, we wanted this year’s campaign to empower parents and children to take a role in supporting health and hygiene practices,” said Karen Swan, Director at Influential.
“By using strategic insights to shape campaigns, we know we can resonate with our audiences and achieve real impact. The Simple Things campaign is a great example of how data can be used to effectively deliver behaviour change.
“Ultimately, the findings from our research highlight a strong case for why children need to wash their hands regularly to stay well – which is exactly what this year’s health campaign set out to do!”
