Blogging the CDC's Health Marketing Conference

Bill Novelli ( Porter Novelli, a nationally known socially marketing firm) gave the key note at the CDC National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media

Bill's three key areas for public health

1. Focus on Advocacy...It is through policy advocacy and regulatory advocacy ( meaning it's not enough to get laws passed we need to make sure they are enforced) that we can have the biggest impact on the public's health.

Currenly, public health professionals don't work on policy because (they think) it's irrelevant, inappropriate and even illegal. (sound familiar?)

Bill challenged the audience to consider an Advocacy Institute that would training public health professionals in the skills needed to be effective advocates ( and to teach citizens to advocate.)

The two public health victories he shared as examples were both from tobacco control: FDA regulation and increasing the tobacco tax.

2. Public Private Partnerships

We need to partner with the private sector. The private sector has financial resources and can reach audiences we are trying to reach.

What's in it for the private sector? Corporate social responsibility is becoming the way to do business. Being involved in social causes gives business credibitiy, helps them build trust with their audience, opens up potential new audiences, helps them attract new employees and retain current employees ( People want to be heros)

3. Leadership

We need leaders who influence and inspire. We need to build and support leaders within public health. We need leaders now. We will need leaders in the future.

Questions to think about

• What are we doing to develop public health leadership?
• Tobacco Control is often held up as a leader in public health..what are we doing to share what we have learned with the rest of public health?
  
• What about the idea of private sector partnerships? Do we have any examples of this?