Evaluating Social Marketing Messages in New Zealand’s Like Minds Campaign and Its Effect on Stigma

Background: A key objective of government and social marketers is to remove the institutionalized stigma mental illness, increasing health service uptake. While research has evaluated past campaigns based on changes in attitudes beliefs, very little examined communication messages used marketing campaigns. Focus Article: This impact evaluation identifies cultural-moral norms incorporated into New Zealand’s Like Minds advertisements examines how beliefs changed over time response these norms. Importance Social Marketing Field: offers a new approach demonstrates importance consistent incorporation institutional Method: Using macro-social theory, thematic analysis identify campaign 10-year period (2002–2012). Results: The was found have multiple norms, such as Mental illness villain, Personal responsibility, Inherent human dignity, well utilizing two different institutionalization processes Socialization Identity Formation. However, were inconsistently sometimes contradictorily presented result, not all show long term change. Rates for uptake also had mixed results during duration, though overall an increase found. Recommendations Research Practice: highlights understanding underlying communications aligning those with objectives campaign. Limitations: phases 2 5 are analyzed, phase 1 inaccessible after 2012 analyzed.