Impact of various tobacco control campaign strategies on self-referrals to a cessation support quitline, including among high prevalence communities: 2018–2023

BACKGROUND: Tobacco cessation services delivered via quitlines increase the likelihood of smoking cessation. Integrated media communication campaigns are a critical channel for promoting quitlines. This study used real-world data to explore the effect of various tobacco control advertising campaign strategies on generating quitline self-referrals, including among high prevalence communities. METHODS: Monthly counts of self-referrals to the Victorian quitline were examined during periods of Quit Victoria advertising campaign activity and inactivity between January 2018 and December 2023. Campaigns varied by spend, pairing of motivational plus capacity-building messages or not, and extent of repeated airings over the previous 6 years. Negative binomial regression models examined associations between different advertising campaign strategies and self-referrals, adjusted for periods surrounding tobacco tax increases, and time. RESULTS: Self-referral rates accelerated as funding increased. These accelerating effects were particularly evident among high prevalence groups. Greater increases were observed when messages with different behavioural goals (eg, motivational and capacity-building) were delivered together, as well as during advertising campaign periods with messages that had aired at least once before in the previous 6 years. CONCLUSIONS: Findings reinforce the importance of well-funded advertising campaigns, especially for high prevalence groups. Effects of previously delivered campaign messages can build with repeated use and so can be effectively re-used over an extended period. Pairing creative concepts with distinct behaviour change objectives may also drive a greater number of self-referrals to quitlines.