A RMIT University expert says a successful anti-vaping campaign needs more than just plain packaging and scant flavour choice - it needs to pitch Big Tobacco as the enemy.
Dr Sandy Fitzgerald, Senior Lecturer, Marketing shared "while there are now policies and budgets in place to stem vaping for good reasons, we need to acknowledge, particularly for people under 25, that these interventions can be perceived as paternalistic, revenue-raising by the government and punitive in orientation.
"The government needs a different approach to their previous anti-smoking campaigns as this is a whole new generation they are targeting," stressed Fitzgerald.
"Firstly, we need to understand the perspective of vapers and why they try vaping in the first place.
"Young people do gain social capital from vaping and it may be socially rewarding for vapers (especially those under the age of 18), as they will be perceived as 'cool' and belonging to a self-selected in-group among their peers," Fitzgerald explained.
We also need to recognise that once a habit or addiction is established, it takes effort, the right support and social messaging to change, she said.
"A successful campaign must be communicative and make vapers feel that they are not singled out and made to feel that they are stupid or dumb just because they were curious to try vaping in the first place."
An anti-vaping campaign must also respect that the target audience are curious youngsters with full autonomy to choose and determine their future, she said.
"Anti-vaping campaigns need to present a convincing value proposition for this age group to quit - that vaping robs you of your autonomy and turns you into a pawn," Fitzgerald commented.
"How would they feel if targeted information about Big Tobacco is presented to them - that they are simply pawns and are used and controlled by this industry?
"Vapers (who we know are typically under 25) may find that information confronting and perhaps start questioning if they wish to be controlled and have their autonomy stripped away by Big Tobacco because they vape."
This idea of vaping robbing them of their freedom (once they are addicted) to a successful future (from a monetary perspective), will get them to question who they are vaping for, Fitzgerald suggested.
"Communicating the message in a school context could be effective by appointing student leaders (who peers look up to) as opinion leaders, to shift the perspective of how vaping takes away one's freedom."
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