Using social media to mobilize grassroots advocates and raise awareness about tobacco harms in Indonesia

Abstract

Background and challenges to implementation Indonesia has one of the highest smoking rates in the world (57.1% men / 41% boys / 3.6% women) and is described as "Disneyland" for big tobacco firms. There are limited smokefree policies, minimal tobacco taxes, and cigarette companies advertise to and target youth. Intervention or response Vital Strategies launched a digital awareness campaign - #SuaraTanpaRokok (Voices Without Cigarettes) reaching out to youth and empowering real victims of tobacco to tell their stories through social media. The campaign also shifted offline, raising awareness and attendance at tobacco control events held in partnership with cities in Indonesia. The campaign gives a voice to those affected by tobacco and has built up an online following of grassroots anti-tobacco advocates. Results and lessons learnt Facebook page with 65,000+ followers, with content reaching over 2 million Indonesians/month Victim story telling campaign through Facebook and Instagram, featuring local tobacco victims and their families Discovered tobacco victim Robby who died aged 27. Told his story through a national TV campaign featuring his parents Offline events which attracted widespread traditional and social media coverage including: Anti-tobacco artwork murals on homes in the town of Kali Code in Yogyakarta that had previously been painted in tobacco industry colors. Event drove significant traditional media coverage and was #1 national trending topic on Twitter; Anti-tobacco murals on "Angkot" public transport vans in Bogor for World No Tobacco Day in collaboration with local artists and the city Mayor. Campaign microsite http://suaratanparokok.co.id constantly updated with new statistics, victims stories, latest campaign content and photos Cross promotion online of our national mass media campaigns in Indonesia Conclusions and key recommendations #SuaraTanpaRokok shows how social media can be used to build a group of online advocates, find tobacco victims and help tell their stories, and raise awareness of and drive attendance to offline events. It also amplified anti-tobacco mass media campaign messaging to youth audiences through social media.

Keywords

• WCTOH