Mental Health Commission TV ad found to be most effective for alcohol education worldwide

An advertisement named ‘Spread’ - created by The Brand Agency, has been found to be the most powerful alcohol education advert internationally in motivating people to cut back on their drinking. The advert depicts red wine spreading throughout the body, increasing the risk of liver, bowel, and throat cancer. It was produced for the Mental Health Commission in 2010, and has also been picked up by the Cancer Council Victoria, who will run it later this year.

Published in the British Medical Journal Open, the study asked over 2,100 Australian adults to compare 83 alcohol education advertisements from around the world. ‘Spread’ was rated as the most likely to motivate drinkers to reduce alcohol consumption. The study asked people to score each advert on a five point scale, with one being the lowest and five the highest motivation to reduce their drinking behaviour. ‘Spread’ scored the highest at 3.77.

“With alcohol education campaigns you walk a fine line of trying to inform the audience without alienating them” said The Brand Agency Account Director, Emma Sadler.

“We have had the privilege of working with the Mental Health Commission (formerly Drug and Alcohol Office) for more than 20 years and over that time we have been able to create excellent work that truly changes human behaviour for the better."

Click on the links below to read both the Mumbrella and Campaign Brief articles.