Impact with Advertising Campaigns
Australian Health Insights Report
Contents
Key insights: Impact with Health Campaigns
Exploring the Australian Standards of Health Advertising
Government Advertisement Campaigns and Expenditure (2019 – 2024)
Commercial Advertising Campaigns
Illicit Drugs Advertising and Behavioural Addictions
Law Enforcement for Advertising
Expansion into Social Health Advertising
Exploring the Australian Standards of Health Advertising
The Australian Government has a vision of "better health being for all Australians". 1
The national health plans and strategies focus on educating the public to change and live healthier lifestyles. Compelled to support the public, the Australian Government designs campaigns to transform health promotion, prevent diseases, manage health burdens and eliminate specific illnesses. By doing so, it reduces the costs on the Federal Budget and corrects the influence of commercial marketing failures challenging health. 2
The Australian Government relies on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). They enforce the Australian Competition and the Australian Consumer Act (2010) for fair trading by regulating products and services. Accurate and honest content advertising opens opportunities for clear messages to improve health. The economic impact of the Australian market from health advertising campaigns stimulates sales, recruitment of staff, employee retention, value to gross domestic product (GDP) and economic efficiency by supporting competition. Targeting and monitoring advertising can reduce excessive consumerism. Unnecessary over-consumption diminishes health and causes addictions. The social cost are greater than the benefit causing uneconomic growth. 3 4 5 6
Advertising on commercial healthcare brands in the last few years has averaged 180 million AU dollars spent with a changing trend of less campaigns and use of more broader strategies. 7 8
Government Advertisement Campaigns
and Expenditure (2019 – 2024)
The World Health Organization (WHO) protects the Australian healthcare landscape of health promotion using key principles and actions adapted from the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion - 1986 (reconfirmed in the Jakarta Declaration on Leading Health Promotion into the 21st Century in 1997). They are used to develop public policies and develop personal skills to improve the standard expectation in each Australian’s personal level of health. They also support an environment of optimal health performance for all, strengthen actions and reorientate health services towards a future of compliance. 9
To monitor national needs, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports statistical data on the determinants of health with the current Australian Health Performance Framework ⁱ to the Australia Government. It reflects the impact of advertising and services on consumer loyalty amongst the Australian population. 10
Audits
The Australian Government campaigns are audited by the Australian National Audit Office every 7 years, with the last audit being the ‘Government Advertising: November 2021 to April 2024’. The audit checks: the objectives (such as non-political influence), campaign phases, certifications, referencing for campaign statements, publications, justification for print outs (imagery, branding and content) and overall presentation. 11
Analysis of each campaign performance incorporates website analytics, social media metrics, the use of the campaign hashtag, event reach, attendance, distribution numbers and media coverage. Evaluations are made on compliance with use of paid social media influencers and partnerships. Risk is assessed by evaluating brand safety using YouTube and AI. A cost benefit analysis is estimated for each stage to determine value for money. 11 12 13
The main campaign panel suppliers the Australia Government employed for health campaigns in 2019-2021 were Ogilvy Australia (advertising), Fiftyfive5 (research), Fenton (public relations), Cultural Perspective (multi-cultural communications), Carbon Media (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communication). From 2021-2024, the same panel suppliers were employed. 11 13
The Australian Government and their Agencies spent 77.3 million (2019-2020), 95 million (2020-2021), 85 million (2021-2022), 131 million (2022-2023) and 173 million (2023-2024) on health campaigns. 11 14 15 16 17
Impact With Advertising Campaigns
The Australian Government health campaigns focus on national health plans and strategies for educating the public to change and live healthier lifestyles. The national government is compelled to support the public with health promotion, disease prevention and managing health burdens. By doing so, it reduces the costs of on the Federal Budget and corrects the influence of commercial marketing failures challenging health. 2
Since the pandemic Australian health spending has returned to an estimated $252.5 billion (2022-2023) on health goods and services. 18
The economic impact of Australian market health advertising campaigns stimulates sales, recruitment of staff, employee retention, value to GDP and economic efficiency by supporting competition.
Australian Government
170 MILLION
Healthcare Advertisements
The Australian Government and their agencies spent 170 million AU dollars on health campaigns in 2024.
Notes
1 Statistics are made on; waiting times, rates on behaviour (income levels, qualifications, overweight/obesity, smoking, alcohol, healthy eating, physical activity, unsafe needle sharing, unplanned readmissions, adverse events in hospitals, staphylococcus, mental health seclusion, national immunisations, antenatal visits, cancer screening, preventable hospitalisations, diagnosis (heart attacks, cancer, STI’s, kidney disease, poisoning injury, low birth weight, childhood diseases and diabetes), avoidable deaths, deaths, self perception of health, psychological distress and case mix adjusted average cost. 11
2 Australia reports of the "Determinants of health: Health behaviours".
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daily smokers down to 14% (2018)
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exceeding risk guidelines of alcohol consumption decreased to 16% (2018)
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inadequate daily vegetable consumption consistent at 92% (2018)
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insufficient activity down to 54% (2018)
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unsafe sharing of needles increased to 17% (2021)
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overweight and obesity increased to 67% (2018)
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hospital readmissions on knee replacement increased to 25% (2018)
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immunisation in national vaccination schedule increased to 94% (2022)
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infant and child mortality rate (per 100 000) decreased to 71% (2020)
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breast cancer screening down to 47% (2021)
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mortality rate due to suicide (per 100 000) increased to 12 (2020)
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high/very high psychological distress fluctuated back to a higher 13% (2018)
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heart attacks in over 25 years (per 100 000) decreased to 276 (2020)
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colorectal cancer (per 100 000) 53 (AI scanning) to 271 (men) and 230 (women) (2018)
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HIV rate (per 100 000) down to 2.2 in (2021)
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end stage kidney disease (per 100 000) down to 19 (2013)
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hospital injuries and poisoning and (per 100 000) down to 2135 (2021)
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babies with low birth weight down to 5% in (2020)
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diabetes type 2 back to 4.8% in (2018)
Commercial Advertising Campaigns
Advertising on healthcare brands in the last few years has averaged 180 million spent with a changing trend of less campaigns and use of more broader strategies. 7 8
Zenith Media reported healthcare brands in Australia spent 182.5 million in 2020. They predicted for it to rise with more focus in on digital advertising to 676 million in the year 2023. 21 22
Statista reported Australia's health advertising spending between 2019 - 2021 amounted to 406.19 million as seen in the table below.
Influence From Commercial Advertising
Health Services and Qualifications
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service
identifies the obligations when advertising a regulated health service. The national audit of health advertising is published by the AHPRA in the National Board Annual Report 2023/24. 30 31
In total, there were 667 complaints about health advertising. Most of the criminal charges were breeches in advertising from misrepresenting of title (61%). The AHPRA is continuing its focus on auditing the cosmetic health services. They have published guidelines for registered medical practitioners who advertise cosmetic surgery. In 2025, the TGA sampled 100 health websites and 100% were non-compliance. The warnings issued were mostly for advertising botox. 31
The Ahpra and the National Board Annual Report 2023/24 also monitors health advertising complaints of medical practitioners. Aspects of breaches in advertising, such us registration and claims of services increased by approximately 25%. within the 12 month period. Of all complaints, 28% were about conduct, health or performance. They were resolved with 15 business days by the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman. 31
Direct to Consumer Prescription Medicines
The Medicines Australia Code of Conduct does not allow advertising of prescription medicines to consumers under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. 32
Pharmaceutical companies can advertise disease awareness in all forms of media. Medicines Australia is the authority responsible for monitoring this type of advertising. The main advantages improve earlier diagnosis, treatment, patient-doctor relationships and compliance. The increased education of disease symptoms and prevalence has been shown to stimulate demand for prescription medicines. The increased education of disease symptoms and prevalence has been shown to stimulate demand for prescription medicines. 33
Permissions for Advertising
In specific circumstances, the Therapeutic Goods Administration has granted advertising information related to certain prescription medicines since 2001. There have been 323 medicines and devices advertising with restricted representation. These initiatives improve choice of therapies (pregnancy, cardiac conditions, osteoporosis and diabetes). In some circumstances there has been approval to encourage therapy (example salbutamol - for sufferer with respiratory disease following air pollution from bushfires). 34 35
The advertising of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines is regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code. Legislation determines labelling requirements, naming, packaging information and promotions. The TGA is responsible in issuing compliance actions. Recent criminal breaches in the TGA code have been for advertising unapproved therapeutic goods such as of nicotine/vaping products, medicinal cannabis as a treatment for serious diseases and supply of harmful alternative therapies (e.g. black salve). 36 37
The TGA conducted enforcement activities in 2023 and found 77% of advertisers were compliant with advertising regulations which was a decrease since 2022 with 96% compliance rate. 38
Nutrition
The Australian Government reports the cost of obesity to the Australian community in 2018 as $11.8 billion. It is estimated without new policies it could cost Australia $87.7 billion by 2032. 39 40
Exposure to televised food advertising has shown to influence choices of food with 28% more snacks and 43% more unhealthy snacks. People exposed to healthy online advertising are more likely to search for information to improve health conditions (e.g. weight loss). 41
Advertising campaigns in Australia between 2016-2018 totalled for alcohol advertising ($200M), in comparison with sugar drinks ($130M), artificially sweetened drinks ($23M), plain water ($14M) and plain milk ($31M). 42 43 44
Healthy commercial advertising can influence standards in consumer safety, medicine compliance, nutrition, illness prevention, improvements in health conditions, accident reductions, workplace productivity, a decrease in the demand of law enforcement and lowering of health related expenses. 29
Source: Adapted from Sugary drink advertising expenditure across Australian media channels 2016-2018 and Alcohol Advertising, Social Media and Young People. 42 44
In 2021, new policy in London, resulted in a reduction of approximately 5% of the population having less obesity. The focus was on decreasing advertising of salt, high fat and sugar products. 45
Most Australian states have regulations banning advertising unhealthy food and beverages on government assets (Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia). This was implemented after research showed in Sydney the percentage of advertised foods considered to be “unhealthy” had increased from 70% (2008) to 84% (2017). The cost of a healthy diet in 2017 was 12-15% cheaper than an unhealthy diet for a family (2 adults and 2 children). Commercial organisations in Australia, between 2016 and 2018 spent around 5 times more on unhealthy advertising (sugary drinks, artificially sweetened drinks, diet weight loss products and programmes) than government campaigns to prevent obesity (healthy eating and physical activity campaigns). 46 47 48 49 50 51 42
It is feasible for Australia to implement a national policy (as in England). Some options for Australia include influential marketing (restrictions on multi-buys and temporary price promotions - end of aisle and checkouts). 52
Alcohol
In Australia, around 26% of people over 18 years of age exceeded the Australian Adult Alcohol Guideline (2022). Alcohol advertising has become a problem targeting teens with social media. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation believe the current regulation of alcohol advertising to children and the response from young people is concerning. Changes to statutory and independent laws with sports broadcasting on weekends and public holiday events will help eliminate advertising alcohol to children. 53 54
In this last 5 years, changes have been made to the marketing of alcohol with Facebook, Instagram and Messenger by making campaigns unavailable to under 18’s based on their interest, language, gender and location. Illegal advertising breaching the Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code can be reported to the Alcohol Advertising Review Board. 55 56 57
Responsible Use of Health Services
Companies advertising responsible use of health services can effectively influence staff performance by up to 50%. By accurately depicting employees, customer focus can improve when staff and business values are congruent. Advertising content and learning material describing the staff morals, values and behaviours enhance this effect. 60 61
Advertising content can be improved by defining sustainable sales relationships, promoting responsible purchasing, providing websites with community spaces for sharing service experiences and creating urgency without marketing tactics towards compulsive buying. 61 62
Health Safety Law Enforcement
Advertising can appeal to consumers sense of risk perception in different ways. Consumers are 40% more likely to view an advertisement promoting risk aversion with intention to purchase the more legal and safer option. Certain features can deter criminal activity by incorporating aspects protecting consumers of fraud, damage and theft from product design. 61 63 64
Advertising of safety features in products are regulated with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Recent breaches of regulatory compliance have been home sleep devices, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and bone grafting kits. A study investigating vehicle advertisement identified a lack of safety information and national recommendations for mandatory standardisation of vehicle advertising to improve consumer choice, prevent accidents and injuries. 36 65
Chronic Health Prevention and Improvement
Advertisements to the public have shown reports resulting in approximately 50% increase of people searching online for more information to prevent or to change personal behaviours (e.g. weight loss). 58
Non-Precriptive Therapies
An Australian audit of pharmaceutical advertising of non-prescriptive therapies in medical publications during 2002, showed only 8% of claims proved to quantify health outcomes. Since then there has been more evidence to support complementary medicines with reports of improved wellbeing (60%,) treating illness (27%) and preventing sickness (13%). 59 58
Advertising of Illicit Drugs and Behavioural Addiction
Recreational Drugs
Advertising of illegal drugs has become more prevalent and the drugs sell with less information. While described as “recreational”, “doping”, “image enhancers”, "smart drugs"and “performance” drugs, they cause health problems. The Australian Institute of Criminology reports the transnational, serious and organised crime (TSOC) of illicit drug activity was $16.5 billion. Online users can access information on how to get prohibited drugs, availability, purity levels and manuals for manufacturing. 66 67 68
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre analysed between 2020 and 2024 illegal online drug listings being advertised. It increased from 11,308 across four markets to 41,880 across five markets. Of these, cannabis was 29% of the markets, methylenedioxyphenethylamine (MDMA-ectascy) – 15%, cocaine – 9%, benzodiazepines – 8%, psychoactive substance (NPS) – 7%) and methyl/amphetamine – 6%. 68
A study in 2019 by a research organisations, Volteface, found 1 in 4 young people saw illicit drugs advertised online on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. The drugs most advertised were cannabis (63%), cocaine (26%), ecstasy (24%), Xanax (20%), nitrous oxide (17%) and codeine (16%). 69
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission - Report 21 of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program estimates $12.4 billion illegal drugs were consumed in Australia between 2022 - 2023. There was an increase in MDMA (33%) cocaine (19%), and methylamphetamine (17%) in the 12 months. 70
Federal Court of Australia has acted with responses to unlawful advertising of illegal drugs, prescription-only substances, dangerous sports supplements, nicotine vaping products, hyperbaric oxygen devices and alternative medicines. 37
The legal avenues for consumers to access monitored drugs have improved patients' rights with information, help services and support groups. While social movements of illicit drug promotion has increased with media and the dark web. Illegal drugs have cost the Australia an estimated to be $80.3 billion (2021). 71
Illegally Sold - Medical Prescription Drugs
Internationally, there was an estimated 35 000 online illegal pharmacy websites operating between 2023-2024. They sold unapproved prescription medications such as opioids, sedative-hypnotic, cancer drugs, diabetes medications and weight loss drugs. 72
Of the Australian social media websites, more than 35% of the illegally advertised prescription medicines (ketamine, cocaine and alprazolam) were substituted with other chemicals substances making them dangerous by increasing the risk of side effects, overdose and death. 73 74
The TGA has limitations in enforcing direct to consumer advertising of prescription medicines through social media from other countries (United States and New Zealand). Their educational campaigns aim to reduce interest in illegal purchasing medicines such as opioids, using disease-focused strategies. 75 76
The TGA targets unlawful importation with the Australian Border Force (ABF) annually by taking part in the worldwide Operation Pangea, coordinated by the World Customs Organization and Interpol. In 2023, more than 2 million dollars of unlawfully imported therapeutic goods were seized. These included narcotics, benzodiazepines, erectile dysfunction medications, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medicines, stimulants, sex hormones, gastrointestinal medicines, performance and image enhancing drugs. 77
The Australian Government, Australian Institute of Criminology, in 2016, reported from a study the increased incidents in users of non-prescription drugs committing property offences (twice more likely than a non-user of those drugs). These invasions were mostly amongst elderly residents. Since then, the National Return and Disposal of Unwanted Medicines (NatRUM) Program (1998) has been introduced to dispose of expired or unwanted medicines. The Therapeutic Drugs Administration has also responded to drug misuse by reducing pack sizes (codeine, oxycontin, fentanyl, methadone, oxycodone and tramadol). 78
Vaping
In 2019, an Australian study found six out of 10 “nicotine-free” vaping liquids contained nicotine. The Queensland Poisons Information Centre reported 486% increase in calls since 2020 about children under five years of age being exposed to e-cigarette and vaping products. Addictions have increased in adolescents by one in four by smoking “nicotine-free” advertised vapes. 79 80 81
The TGA tested vaping products in Australia to check TGO 110 labelling compliance and found a majority contained nicotine (411 of 506) and were without batch number or expiry date making them non-compliant with regulatory requirements (392 of 506). There was no testing of vaping products for labelling “nicotine not present” for presence of nicotine. In 2024, changes were made to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to prohibit advertising of all vaping goods to the public. TGA authorisation is limited to specific health practitioners, between persons engaged in wholesale and retail and to the patient when used for cessation of smoking (advertising is limited to specific product information. Non-compliant advertising can be reported to the TGA Report Non-Compliant Advertising. 82 83 84
Tobacco
Advertising tobacco is totally prohibited in Australia. Online purchases of patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers or mouth sprays with nicotine advertised in NZ or USA arriving in Australia by mail are seized by the Australian Border Force and not returned to sender. Advertising of tobacco can be reported to the Tobacco Complaints Contact team. 85 86
Gambling
The Australian Government, Australian Institute of Family Studies reported in 2017, around 6.8 million Australians gamble regularly. Since 2016, gambling advertisements have increased by 253%. 87 88
Over 500 000 children (under 18) gamble in Australia spending $18 million a year.
Approximately 30% off all 12-17 year olds gamble and there are 50% in the age group between 15-19.
Once entering the legal age of betting (18-19 year olds), 46% are betting more than $213 million annually (mostly on sports). 89 90
The Australian states and territories are awaiting the Australian Government to draft a reform with urges to ban gambling advertisement within sporting events in the next year and age verification for computer games with gambling like content. Former prime ministers and the Australian public have since been urging for finalisation of the reform. 91 92
Australians are the biggest gamblers in the world. Commercial advertising for gambling in 2022 exceeded $310 million. Approximately $244 billion was spent on gambling. Gambling starts at an early age, mostly with online simulated gambling. 90 93
Source: Doran, M & Gock, K. (2023, June 28). Gambling ads should be banned within three years to tackle addiction crisis, parliamentary committee says. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-28/online-gambling-advertising-sports-broadcasts-computer-games/102531432
Law Enforcement for Advertising
Law enforcement plays a critical role in the regulation of advertising with mandatory industry codes for products and services.
The ACCC and TGA reduces illegal health advertising and community vulnerability.
Government expenditure for the supply of medicines with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme was $17.7 billion (2024). 94
Australians spent approximately 10.3 billion in 2022 on Illicit drug, an increase from $8.9 billion in the previous year. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission reports illicit drug activity costs the Australian economy up to $16.5 billion dollars (2020-2021). 67 95
The national demand reduction programs on illicit drugs, focuses on harm minimisation by reducing demand and supply. Prevention and treatment programs in schools, communities, court and drug treatment outpatient check-ups can produce a return on investment of $5.40 for every dollar spent. 96
The TGA offers provision for the public under the Crimes Act 1914, with civil penalties for advertising medicines illegally fined to individuals - $5000 and body corporate $50 000. Criminal prosecutions include 5 to 7 years imprisonment. The largest Australian court order to pay for illegal advertising reached 12 million. 37 97
Gambling in Australia has totalled a turnover of 244.3 billion between 2022-2023, an increase of 18.2% from 2021-2022. Australians lose approximately $25 billion on gambling each year, while having the largest per capita losses in the world. 98
Simulated gambling and gambling-themed games do not meet the criteria of a gambling service, this means that the Australian Communications and Media Authority has no jurisdiction to regulate them. 99
Australia relies on monitoring authorities, physicians and the public to report illegal health services advertising. This is integral to enforcing compliance and duty of care. Where there is a certain rise in advertising criminal activities, the National Law can be amended to increase the maximum penalty for advertising offences. The last national amendment was in 2022. Individuals are penalised ($5 000 to $60 000) and furthermore body corporates ($10 000 to $120 000). 100
There is no specific report of the court costs incurred from non-compliant advertising of health products and services.
Australian Health Advertising With a Positive Reputation
Expansion into social health advertising
Australia health spending is at an estimated $252.5 billion. The Australian Government envisions a healthy nation with the regulation of advertising health services and products based on honest principles. To ensure implementation of the national strategies, consumers need to be educated about their rights and responsibilities. 101
Economic growth in Australian healthcare can only continue to improve if consumption of services does not exceed a point of overall benefits to health. Smoking, pollution, alcohol and obesity are the main causes of health-damaging overconsumption. The "failure demand" (excess costs) changes the healthcare structures in place and increases unnecessary defensive expenditure in the economy. 5
Australian strategies and programs help reduce commercial marketing failures responsible for overconsumption and addictions. Commercial and social conditions in Australia have a major impact on people’s health and quality of life. Current health campaigns address discrimination, violence, pollutants and causes of ill health. Widening campaigns into areas reducing overconsumption and addictions can produce a return on investment. Campaigns for risk reduction improve health indicators by giving better care. By influencing commercial sector activities improvements can be made by directing healthy changes in lifestyle choices to boost economic performance.
Impacting the Determinants of Health
In the last 5 years, program impact has been directed toward building healthier communities with societal equality and protection of families. Australian national campaigns between 2019 and 2024 on COVID, vaccinations, domestic violence, vaping, cosmetic surgery and sexually transmitted diseases amounted to approximately 114 million.
Australian government statistics on the overall results of the commercial advertising campaigns and programs have mostly resulted with an increase in immunisations, reductions in child mortality rates, decrease in physical injuries and less incidents of poisonings.
The Australian Government monitors consumerism and health with indicators. Data on selected populations shows obesity, inappropriate diet, insufficient exercise, psychological distress and whooping cough are still priorities for improvement. Most of these conditions are more associated with commercial aspects of health.
"Commercial determinants of health impact a wide range of risk factors, including smoking, air pollution, alcohol use, obesity and physical inactivity, and health outcomes, such as noncommunicable diseases, communicable diseases and epidemics, injuries on roads and from weapons, violence, and mental health conditions" (WHO, 2023). 102
WHO calls nations to increase action areas in social determinants of health. These are conditions in which people are "born, grow, work, live and age, and the wider forces that shape the conditions of daily life" (WHO, 2025). 103
Government advertising campaigns on education, nutrition, decent housing and workplace conditions can improve health indicators. These health messages integrated into public advertising ensure everyone realises and appraises the conditions for a healthy lifestyle.
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