Clip from the Bussing to Better Health announcements
Women’s Research Center Creates Anti-Smoking Ads Airing on Lynx Buses
By Mallery Laing (mlaing@mail.ucf.edu)
ORLANDO, June 16, 2005 -- The University of Central Florida’s Women’s Research Center and Division of Digital Media created two public service announcements about the dangers of second-hand smoke that are airing this week on Lynx buses.
The announcements, which are designed to appeal to minorities and pregnant women, are part of the “Bussing to Better Health” initiative created through a grant from the Winter Park Health Foundation and the Florida Department of Health. With this money and materials provided from the state Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control, UCF’s digital media program created the two ads for the Transit Television Network.
The ads’ main slogan states, “If you don’t quit for yourself, quit for the ones you love.” One spot is broadcast in Spanish to reach out to the 27 percent of Lynx bus riders who are Hispanic.
“We hope the ads will not only increase the knowledge people have about second-hand smoke health risks, but also will result in the change of behavior,” said Leslie Sue Lieberman, director of the Women’s Research Center.
Digital media professors Steve Teicher and Natalie Underberg worked with Lieberman to create the public service announcements.
The Transit Television Network is an innovative new form of advertising that is becoming more popular across North America. Through wireless broadcasts, televisions placed on public buses provide location information, weather, and entertainment for passengers. About 80,000 passengers ride Lynx buses daily.
The public service announcements are running June 13 to 18 on several buses across Orange County. During this time, students from UCF will conduct research polls and interviews of the riders to judge the campaign’s effectiveness.
The second-hand smoke ads will be followed by other public service announcements in the Bussing to Better Health plan. Future ads likely will cover a wide range of health issues, including low birth weight, Type II diabetes and hypertension.
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