Superman versus Nick O'Teen — a children's anti-smoking campaign

Abstract

IN December 1980, a novel anti-smoking campaign aimed at children aged from seven to eleven was launched by the Health Education Council. The campaign pitted the cartoon super-hero Superman against a newly-invented super-villian, Nick O'Teen. By the time the campaign ended in 1982, over 800,000 children had requested material produced by the HEC. The venture produced a positive response from schools, and evaluation demonstrated a significant impact on children themselves. In addition, the campaign proved to be of continuing interest to the mass media, with references to it being made two years after advertising ceased. It also provoked considerable international interest. © 1985, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.