2022-23 Beat the Cravings campaign: ‘New Quitline counsellor’ assets

Jump to:

• Campaign overview
• Why we need a campaign
• Target audience
• Key messages
• Quitline counsellor assets
• Further information

Campaign overview

Telephone counselling services, like Quitline, provide an effective and efficient form of behavioural intervention for smoking cessation when used alone or in combination with smoking cessation medications.1 In order to increase awareness and encourage increased use and ultimately increased quit attempts, six videos featuring Quitline counsellors have been produced to influence and motivate people who smoke to speak to a qualified counsellor to help them quit smoking. The videos are an extension of the overarching ‘Beat the Cravings’ Tobacco Control Campaign.

The six Quitline counsellor videos, and display assets, explain and humanise Quitline by getting counsellors to answer the most common questions people have when calling Quitline, positioning counsellors as caring professionals who are able to significantly increase quitting success.

Why we need a campaign

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in NSW — estimated to account for 6,908 deaths in 2019 and 60,192 hospitalisations in 2019/20.²

In 2021, 12% of NSW adults were current smokers (daily and occasional). This equates to approximately 972,000 NSW adults. This is down from 13.3% in 2020 and 15.5% in 2019.³

Although smoking cessation support services are highly effective, research conducted in 2019 found limited awareness and understanding of available smoking cessation support services — specifically Quitline. To address this issue and to encourage use and ultimately increased quit attempts, the six Quitline counsellor videos have been developed and will be promoted, as part of the ‘Beat the Cravings’ campaign.

Evidence demonstrates that anti-tobacco social marketing campaigns are one of the most effective population strategies to reduce tobacco consumption.^4,5

Target audience

The assets will target all adults aged 18+ in NSW who smoke with a focus population of women ages 18+ in NSW who smoke during pregnancy.

Key messages

Quitline is a free, confidential phone service that provides personalised advice, information, and support to help people quit smoking.

• Quitline can help people during whatever stage they are at, even if they are not ready to quit yet.
• Quitline counsellors have first-hand experience of the process of quitting smoking and can provide options to help people quit smoking.
• Using phone support services like Quitline increases a person’s chances of quitting smoking.
• When a person has a craving to smoke, Quitline counsellors can provide tips and tactics to help them overcome their cravings.
• Pregnant women who find quitting smoking challenging can get help and support from Quitline counsellors.
• Talk to a qualified counsellor today. Call Quitline on 13 7848.

Quitline counsellor assets

The Quitline counsellor assets aim to support adults 18+ in NSW who want to quit smoking by explaining and humanising the Quitline service and driving them to the support service.

Quitline counsellors provided answers to the below questions;

• Who can call Quitline?
• Why is Quitline beneficial?
• What makes Quitline so popular?
• Who can overcome a craving and quit smoking?
• What support does Quitline offer?
• How does Quitline help pregnant women quit smoking?

We welcome everybody’s help in promoting the campaign and messages. If you are interested, please share the assets below or reach out to the team for more information.

Digital display

Further information

• For further information about the campaign and our work on reducing smoking in NSW visit:

  cancer.nsw.gov.au/prevention-and-screening/preventing-cancer/campaigns/quit-smoking-campaigns

  
  
• You can also contact us directly at CINSW-Prevention@health.nsw.gov.au