Prevention Research Collaboration​ case study 2015

​Evaluation of a social marketing and mass media campaign: Make Healthy Normal

In July 2015, the Prevention Research Collaboration (PRC) was tasked by the NSW Ministry of Health with reviewing previous approaches and making recommendations on evidence based best practice for the evaluation of Make Healthy Normal. Make Healthy Normal is a newly proposed integrated social marketing and mass media campaign in support of the NSW Healthy Eating Active Living Strategy (HEAL) 2013-2018.

PRC provided written technical advice in a policy-relevant format. The PRC advice document:

1. Reviewed the evaluation framework and approach which had been used to evaluate "Fast Choices", a campaign in support of kilojoule menu labeling; and
2. Made recommendations for the evaluation of Make Healthy Normal.

The technical advice included a rapid synthesis of research evidence to distil best practice in evaluation of social marketing and mass media campaigns including:

• Optimal evaluation design
• Measurement tasks in campaign evaluation
• 10 general recommendations for planning and evaluating social marketing and mass media campaigns, including the development of a logic model (see Figure 1) and performance indicators aligned with a hierarchy of effects model
• Six specific recommendations for evaluation of the Make Healthy Normal integrated social marketing and mass media campaign

The written technical advice was discussed in a series of face-to-face meetings with the Make Healthy Normal evaluation team at the Ministry where PRC Director Professor Adrian Bauman and Principal Research Fellow Professor Bill Bellew offered additional explanation and advice as required.

Impacts on policy and practice include:

• General recommendations on optimal evaluation design, development of a logic model, and performance indicators aligned with a hierarchy of effects model were accepted and implemented by the Ministry.
• Specific recommendations for evaluation of Make Healthy Normal were also accepted and implemented (or are in the process of being implemented).
• A logic model subsequently developed by PRC was used by the Ministry in Cabinet approval processes and ​​was thought to be helpful and influential.
• The Ministry-funded Physical Activity Nutrition and Obesity Research Group (PANORG) now provides ongoing independent advice in a partnership with the Make Healthy Normal evaluation team.

Figure 1. The Make Healthy Normal Campaign Logic Model

Text Alternative: The Make Healthy Normal Campaign Logic Model provides the program logic for the Make Healthy Normal Campaign. It describes the Program's Inputs (Monitoring and Evalutation, and Human Resources from MoH and LHDs, provided by contractors, community partnerships, and other paertnerhsips); Activities (advertising, promotions, public relations, website, social media, mobile apps, LHD activities, community engagement, and HEAL support programs), Short- and Mid-term outcomes, and Long-Term outcomes (stablise rates of overweight and obesity by 2015 and then reduce by 5% by 2020; change attitude and behaviour; reduc​tion in unhealthy risk behaviours; reduction in hospitalisation rates attributable to high body mass; reduction in type 2 diabetes and CHD; favourable changes in disability, absenteeism, productivity, workplace injury and insurance claims​.