Brussels - The European Commission (EC)'s "Quit Smoking With Barça" programme (www.quitsmokingwithbarca.eu) scooped the prize for excellence in the ‘Government Bodies and Related Organisations' category at the EACA Care Awards last night.
The EACA Care Awards are established to highlight the advertising industry's contribution to society by selecting and celebrating the most powerful and relevant social marketing campaigns. Standing out from the competition in this category, "Quit Smoking With Barça" was recognised for its specific contribution to public lung health by supporting smoking cessation across Europe, with now more than 70,000 men and women registered to kick the habit with the programme.
Launched in December last year, "Quit Smoking With Barça" is an innovation of the EC's "Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable" campaign, and the product of a unique partnership with world leading football team, FC Barcelona. At the heart of the campaign is the FCB iCoach: a free digital health coach that provides tailored guidance and support to registered users direct from the mouths of Barça's players, coaches and staff.
The campaign was also followed and picked up in different European countries by various clubs and national football associations. "It's obvious that the positive message & online tools of the Unstoppable campaign have convinced a large European audience to give up smoking once and for all," says Jan Teulingkx, ECD of Saatchi & Saatchi. "When they get the support of the club of their heart, winning the battle against tobacco, is not a lonely struggle anymore. Football against tobacco offers a whole new perspective on smoking cessation. We're extremely pleased that this campaign is recognised by a distinguished panel comprising members of the European Parliament, advertising experts and trade press professionals amongst the strong competition."