05
November
2018
|
11:21
Europe/Amsterdam

Slimming World celebrates a century of Public Health Marketing

Representatives from Slimming World were delighted to take part in a Public Health England event to mark the opening of an exhibition celebrating 100 years of Public Health Marketing.

Slimming World’s Head of External Affairs Jenny Caven was joined by successful slimmers Tony Westaway and Fay Marshall as they became some of the first people to see ‘Can Marketing Save Lives? A Century of Public Health Marketing Campaigns’ at the Museum of Brands.

Jenny took part in a panel discussion; while Tony, who was told he had added 20 years to his life since losing 13.5st, and Fay, who became Slimming World’s Woman of the Year after losing 8st 8lbs, met Chief Executive of Public Health England Duncan Selbie.

The exhibition, which is running until May 2019, traces the role of marketing in the history of public health and explores the enduring power of such communications to effect change. Incorporating posters, TV commercials and objects, it revisits historical events such as the founding of the NHS, the first vaccination programmes and the campaign for AIDS awareness, as well as asking what public health marketing may hold for the future.

 

Jenny Caven, Head of External Affairs
There is nothing that really tells a story like hearing from the real people whose lives have improved as a result. 
Jenny Caven, Head of External Affairs

Speaking at the event, Jenny talked about Slimming World’s partnership with PHE, explaining: “In 2016 we were invited to work as the weight-loss partner with PHE on the launch of the One You campaign that encouraged adults to lead healthier lifestyles. Together we were able to offer easy access to a 12-week programme providing discounted membership to a Slimming World community group or to our online programme. As a result of the campaign, 16,728 people signed up to Slimming World support. More than half the members who joined a group and around 25% of those who joined online achieved a clinically significant weight loss of 5% over 12 weeks of engagement in the programme.”

Jenny added: “It’s always great to see numbers that show the reach and effectiveness of a campaign and, of course, that’s very important in public health marketing. But there is nothing that really tells a story like hearing from the real people whose lives have improved as a result, like Fay and Tony, which is why it was so great to be joined by them at the event.”

About Slimming World

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 weekly groups supporting 900,000 members across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Groups are run by a network of 5,000 community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques. Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. The principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people and recognition that those who struggle with weight carry a double burden, the weight itself and a burden of guilt and shame about their weight. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.

For more information about Slimming World’s approach visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000. Follow Slimming World on Twitter at www.twitter.com/slimmingworld or become a Slimming World fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/slimmingworld 

For the Press Office please email public.relations@slimmingworld.co.uk