DoH hands £10m smoking ban business to Farm

by David Tiltman, Marketing 06-Dec-06

The government has appointed Farm to handle a high-profile ad campaign promoting the forthcoming ban on smoking in public places in England.

Spend on the campaign is estimated to be £10m, nearly half the
Department of Health's (DoH) annual anti-smoking budget. Health
secretary Patricia Hewitt announced last week that the ban would come

into force on 1 July next year.

The consumer campaign will begin in earnest in March with a focus on the
dangers of second-hand smoke. Until then, the DoH will run non-specific
ads encouraging people to give up smoking, as well as communications
aimed at businesses affected by the ban.

In August, Farm and MCBD were shortlisted for creative duties on the
DoH's main anti-tobacco account. It is understood that Farm will oversee
the smoking-ban activity and MCBD all other anti-smoking duties. Profero
will handle online activity, while media planning will be undertaken by
Mediaedge:cia.

Golley Slater has already created an ad campaign for the ban on smoking
in Wales, which comes into force on 2 April. The £2m work focuses
on passive smoking.

The DoH refused to confirm Farm's appointment.