The HELP campaign – For a life without tobacco was launched by the European Commission to provide support and assistance in the following directions:

• prevent starting smoking
• resist the pressure of others
• pay attention to passive smoking

Bulgaria, as a new member of the European Union, joined the campaign in the summer of 2007, the campaign lasted for four years. Janev&Janev was responsible for conducting the campaign in Bulgaria.

The campaign was aimed primarily at young people and adolescents, as they are among the most vulnerable of becoming victims of smoking. The campaign focused namely on the target group between the ages of 15 and 34, using social media and TV ads.

The campaign uses an integrated approach in keeping with its main audience. The message of the campaign was distributed mainly through television advertising and social media. The TV campaign went on with 7 waves in all EU countries and included 4 different promotional videos concerning the three campaign themes – passive smoking; prevention and quitting. According to lpsos (an international marketing research company headquartered in Paris), 152 million Europeans remember the advertising videos.

Smokers and non-smokers had the opportunity to measure their level of CO (carbon monoxide) in the tents of the campaign. The level of CO was measured with a quick and simple test. The CO measurement campaign enables EU citizens to become aware of the effect of smoking on their health in an interactive and fun way.

340,000 Europeans have tested their CO level in their lungs and in Bulgaria the measurements were 2,258. According to data from the European Commission, the smokers in Bulgaria are 1,900,000. The data show something very important – the level of control in Bulgaria for two years has increased by 9 points from 46 in 2005 to 55 in 2007, which is above the European average.

Within the framework of the campaign, we held a student contest “A class project for a life without tobacco”.