Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14857

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Freeman B, Chapman S.
Gone viral? Heard the buzz? A guide for public health practitioners and researchers on how Web 2.0 can subvert advertising restrictions and spread health information.
J Epidemiol Community Health 2008 Sep; 62:(9):778-82
http://jech.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/62/9/778

Abstract:

Many nations have banned or curtailed advertising of potentially harmful products to protect public health, particularly in the area of chronic disease control. The growth in Internet-based marketing techniques is subverting these advertising regulations. Explosive rises in use of social networking and user-generated content websites is further fuelling product promotion through electronic media. In contrast, there is a very limited body of public health research on these “new media” advertising methods. This paper provides an overview of these advertising methods and details examples relevant to chronic disease control. There is a vast untapped potential for health practitioners and researchers to exploit these same media for health promotion.

Keywords:
Advertising as Topic/legislation & jurisprudence* Health Promotion/methods Humans Internet* Marketing/methods* Public Health*