Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Systematic review of health branding: growth of a promising practice

  • Systematic Reviews
  • Published:
Translational Behavioral Medicine

ABSTRACT

Brands are marketing tools that create mental representations in the minds of consumers about products, services, and organizations. Brands create schema that help consumers decide whether to initiate or continue use of a product or service. Health branding determines behavioral choice by building consumer relationships and identification with health behaviors and their benefits. Health branding can be measured by the associations individuals form with health behaviors. In 2008, Evans and colleagues systematically reviewed the literature on health brands, reported on branded health messages and campaigns worldwide, and examined specific branding strategies in multiple subject areas. This paper extends that review. We replicated the comprehensive online literature search strategy from 2008. We screened a total of 311 articles and included 130 for full-text review. This included both articles from the 2008 review and new articles. After excluding those new articles that did not meet full-text inclusion criteria, we reviewed 69 in total. Of these, 32 were new articles since the 2008 review. Branded health campaigns cover most major domains of public health and appear worldwide. Since 2008, we observed improvement in evaluation, application of theory, and description of campaign strategies in published work. We recommend enhanced education of public health practitioners and researchers on the use and evaluation of branding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cutler D, Miller G. The role of public health improvements in health advances: the twentieth century United States. Demography. 2005; 42(1): 1-22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Evans WD, Blitstein JL, Hersey JC, Renaud J, Yaroch AL. Systematic review of public health branding research. J Health Commun. 2008; 13(8): 351-360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bandura A. Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall; 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ajzen I. The theory of planned behaviour. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process. 1991; 50: 179-211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Johnson-Taylor WL, Yaroch AL, Krebs-Smith SM, Rodgers AB. What can communication science tell us about promoting optimal dietary behavior? J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007; 39(2S): S1-S4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hornik R, Kelly B. Communication and diet: an overview of experience and principles. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007; 39: S5-S12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Evans WD, Holtz K, Snider J. Effects of the above the influence brand on adolescent drug use prevention beliefs. J Health Comm. 2014 (In press).

  8. Evans WD, ed. Psychology of Branding. Hauppauge, NY: Nova; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Blitstein JL, Evans WD, Driscoll DL. What is a public health brand? In: Evans WD, Hastings G, eds. Public Health Branding. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 2008: 25-41.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  10. Haider M. Branding of international public health organizations: applying commercial marketing to global public health. In: Evans WD, Hastings G, eds. Public Health Branding: Applying Marketing for Social Change. London, UK: Oxford University Press; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Keller KL. Branding perspectives on social marketing. Adv Consum Res. 1998; 25: 299-302.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Snyder LB, Hamilton MA, Mitchell EW, Kiwanuka-Tondo J, Fleming-Milici F, Proctor D. A meta-analysis of the effect of mediated health communication campaigns on behavior change in the United States. J Health Commun. 2004; 9(S1): 71-96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Aaker DA. Building Strong Brands. New York: The Free Press; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Grilli R, Ramsay CR, Minozzi S. Mass media interventions: effects on health services utilisation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002; 1.

  15. Evans WD, Necheles J, Longjohn M, Christoffel K. The 5-4-3-2-1 Go! intervention: social marketing strategies for nutrition. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007; 39(2): S55-S59. S1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Evans WD, Price S, Blahut S, Hersey J, Niederdeppe J, Ray S. Social imagery, tobacco independence, and the truth® campaign. J Health Commun. 2004; 9(5): 425-441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. McLeroy KR, Northridge ME, Balcazar H, Greenberg MR, Landers SJ. Reporting guidelines and the American Journal of Public Health’s adoption of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Am J Public Health. 2012; 102(5): 780-4.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Snyder LB, Hamilton MA. Meta-analysis of U.S. health campaign effects on behavior: emphasize enforcement, exposure, and new information, and beware the secular trend. In: Hornik R, ed. Public Health Communication: Evidence for Behavior Change. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Grilli, R, Ramsay CR, and Minozzi S. Mass media interventions: effects on health services utilisation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2002. Issue 1(Art. Number: CD000389, DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD000389.

  20. Fitzgibbon M, Gans KM, Evans WD, et al. Communicating healthy eating lessons learned and future directions. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007; 39(2): S63-S71. S1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Evans WD, Price S, Blahut S. Evaluating the truth® brand. J Health Commun. 2005; 10(2): 181-192.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Snyder LB, Hamilton MA, Huedo-Medina T. Does evaluation design impact communication campaign effect size? A meta-analysis. Commun Methods Measures. 2009; 3: 84-104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Eloundou-Enyegue PM, Meekers D, Calves AE. From awareness to adoption: the effect of AIDS education and condom social marketing on condom use in Tanzania (1993–1996). J Bios Sci. 2004; 37(3): 257-268.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Agha S, Meekers D. Impact of an advertising campaign on condom use in urban Pakistan. Stud Fam Plan. 2010; 41(4): 277-290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Evans WD, Taruberekera N, Longfield K, Snider J. Brand equity and willingness to pay for condoms in Zimbabwe. Reprod Health. 2011; 8: 29.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Curry M, Sung L, Arroll B, Goodyear-Smith F, Kerse N, Norris P. Public views and use of antibiotics for the common cold before and after an education campaign in New Zealand. N Z Med J. 2006; 119(1233): U1957.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. McClure AC, Stoolmiller M, Tanski SE, Engels RC, Sargent JD. Alcohol marketing receptivity, marketing-specific cognitions, and underage binge drinking. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2012; 37(S1): E404-13.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Page C, Reid A, Hoagland E, Leonard SB. WellBabies: Mothers’ perspectives on an innovative model of group well-child care. Fam Med. 2010; 42(3): 202-207.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Scheier LM, Grenard JL. Influence of a nationwide social marketing campaign on adolescent drug use. J Health Commun. 2010; 15(3): 240-71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Carpenter CS, Pechmann C. Exposure to the above the influence antidrug advertisements and adolescent marijuana use in the United States, 2006–2008. Am J Public Health. 2011; 101(5): 948-54.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Park S-Y, Hitchon JB, Yun GW. The effects of brand familiarity in alignment advertising. J Mass Commun Q. 2004; 81(4): 750-765.

    Google Scholar 

  32. O’Loughlin J, Ledoux J, Barnett T, Paradis G. La Commande du Coeur (“Shop for Your Heart”): a point-of-choice nutrition education campaign in a low-income urban neighborhood. Am J Health Promot. 1996; 10(3): 175-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Stables GJ, Subar AF, Patterson BH, et al. Changes in vegetables and fruit consumption and awareness among US adults: results of the 1991 and 1997 5 A Day for Better Health Program surveys. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102: 809-817.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Foerster SB, Bal DG, Kizer KW, Krieg BF, DiSorga LK. Bunch KL California’s “5 a day–for better health!” campaign: an innovative population-based effort to effect large-scale dietary change. Am J Prev Med. 1995; 11(2): 124-31.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Heimendinger J, Van Duyn MA, Chapelsky D, Foerster S, Stables G. The national 5 A Day for Better Health Program: a large-scale nutrition intervention. J Public Health Manag Pract. 1996; 2(2): 27-35.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Ashfield-Watt PAL. Fruits and vegetables, 5+ a day: are we getting the message across? Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006; 15(2): 245-52.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Wardle J, Rapoport L, Miles A, Afuape T, Duman M. Mass education for obesity prevention: the penetration of the BBC’s “Fighting Fat, Fighting Fit” campaign. Fighting Fit’ Campaign Health Educ Res. 2001; 16(3): 343-55.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Economos CD, Folta SC, Goldberg J, et al. A community-based restaurant initiative to increase availability of healthy menu options in Somerville, Massachusetts: shape up Somerville. Prev Chronic Dis. 2009; 6(3): A102.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. McDonald PW. A practical, cost-effective method for recruiting people into healthy eating behavior programs. Prev Chronic Dis. 2007; 4(2): A26.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Giralt M, Albaladejo R, Tarro L, Moriña D, Arija V, Solà R. A primary-school-based study to reduce prevalence of childhood obesity in Catalunya (Spain)–EDAL-Educació en alimentació: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2011; 12: 54.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Acharya RN, Patterson PM, Hill EP, Schmitz TG, Bohm E. An evaluation of the “TrEAT Yourself Well” restaurant nutrition campaign. Health Educ Behav. 2006; 33(3): 309-24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Lea EJ, Crawford DL, Worsley A. Consumers’ readiness to eat a plant-based diet. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006; 60(3): 342-51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Eppler E, Eisenberg MS, Schaeffer S, Meischke H, Larson MP. 911 and emergency department use for chest pain: results of a media campaign. Ann Emerg Med. 1994; 24(2): 202-8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Lancman H, Pastore DR, Steed N, Maresca A. Adolescent hepatitis B vaccination: comparison among 2 high school-based health centers and an adolescent clinic. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000; 154(11): 1085-8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Agha S. The impact of a mass media campaign on personal risk perception, perceived self-efficacy and on other behavioural predictors. AIDS Care. 2003; 15(6): 749-62.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Conner RF, Takahashi L, Ortiz E, Archuleta E, Muniz J, Rodriguez J. The Solaar HIV prevention program for gay and bisexual Latino men: using social marketing to build capacity for service provision and evaluation. AIDS Educ Prev. 2005; 17(4): 361-74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Stadler J, Hlongwa L. Monitoring and evaluation of loveLife’s AIDS prevention and advocacy activities in South Africa, 1999–2001. Eval Program Plan. 2002; 25: 365-376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Vega MY, Roland EL. Social marketing techniques for public health communication: a review of syphilis awareness campaigns in 8 US cities. Sex Transm Dis. 2005; 32(10 Suppl): S30-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Kegeles SM, Hays RB, Coates TJ. The Mpowerment Project: a community-level HIV prevention intervention for young gay men. Am J Public Health. 1996; 86(8 Pt 1): 1129-1136.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Schellenberg JRMA, Abdulla S, Minja H, et al. KINET: a social marketing programme of treated nets and net treatment for malaria control in Tanzania, with evaluation of child health and long-term survival. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1999; 93(3): 225-31.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Schmidt TL, Hitchon JC. When advertising and public relations converge: an application of schema theory to the persuasive impact of alignment ads. J Mass Commun Q. 1999; 76: 433-455.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Huhman M, Potter LD, Wong FL, Banspach SW, Duke JC, Heitzler CD. Effects of a mass media campaign to increase physical activity among children: year-1 results of the VERB campaign. Pediatrics. 2005; 116(2): e277-84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Huhman ME, Potter LD, Duke JC, Judkins DR, Heitzler CD, Wong FL. Evaluation of a national physical activity intervention for children: VERB campaign, 2002–2004. Am J Prev Med. 2007; 32(1): 38-43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Bauman AE, Bellew B, Owen N, Vita P. Impact of an Australian mass media campaign targeting physical activity in 1998. Am J Prev Med. 2001; 21(1): 41-7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Hillsdon M, Cavill N, Nanchahal K, Diamond A, White IR. National level promotion of physical activity: results from England’s ACTIVE for LIFE campaign. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2001; 55(10): 755-761.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Reijneveld SA, Westhoff MH, Hopman-Rock M. Promotion of health and physical activity improves the mental health of elderly immigrants: results of a group randomised controlled trial among Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands aged 45 and over. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003; 57(6): 405-11.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Wong FL, Greenwell M, Gates S, Berkowitz JM. It’s what you do! Reflections on the VERB campaign. Am J Prev Med. 2008; 34(6S): S175-S182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Potter LD, Judkins DR, Piesse A, Nolin MJ, Huhman M. Methodology of the outcome evaluation of the VERB campaign. Am J Prev Med. 2008; 34(6 Suppl): S230-40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Wong F, Huhman M, Heitzler C, et al. VERB—a social marketing campaign to increase physical activity among youth. Prev Chronic Dis. 2004; 1(3): A10.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Chan A, Pickering J, Haan E, et al. “Folate before pregnancy”: the impact on women and health professionals of a population-based health promotion campaign in South Australia. Med J Aust. 2001; 174(12): 631-6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Shefner-Rogers CL, Sood S. Involving husbands in safe motherhood: effects of the SUAMI SIAGA campaign in Indonesia. J Health Commun. 2004; 9(3): 233-58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Merom D, Rissel C, Mahmic A, Bauman A. Process evaluation of the New South Wales Walk Safely to School Day. Health Promot J Austr. 2005; 16(2): 100-6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Hodgson C, Lindsay P, Rubini F. Using paid mass media to teach the warning signs of stroke: the long and the short of it. Health Promot J Austr. 2009; 20(1): 58-64.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Buller DB, Andersen PA, Walkosz BJ, et al. Randomized trial testing a worksite sun protection program in an outdoor recreation industry. Health Educ Behav. 2005; 32: 514-535.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Jorgensen CM, Wayman J, Green C, Gelb CA. Using health communications for primary prevention of skin cancer: CDC’s Choose Your Cover campaign. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2000; 9(5): 471-5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Lynch BM, Dunn J. Scoreboard advertising at sporting events as a health promotion medium. Health Educ Res. 2003; 18(4): 488-492.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Dunn CL, Pirie PL, Oakes JM. Outcomes of a statewide anti-tobacco industry youth organizing movement. Am J Health Promot. 2004; 19(1): 3-11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Hersey JC, Niederdeppe J, Evans WD, et al. The Theory of “truth”: how counterindustry media campaigns affect smoking behavior among teens. Health Psychol. 2005; 24(1): 22-31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Evans WD, Wasserman J, Bertolotti E, Martino S. The strategy behind the truth® campaign. Soc Mark Q. 2002; 8(3): 17-29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Evans WD, Price S, Blahut S, Hersey J, Neiderdeppe J, Ray S. Social imagery, tobacco independence, and the TruthSM campaign. J Health Commun. 2004; 9(5): 425-441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Neiderdeppe J. Syntactic indeterminacy, perceived message sensation value-enhancing features, and message processing in the context of anti-tobacco advertisements. Comm Monogr. 2005; 73(3): 324-344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Evans WD, Price S, Blahut S. Evaluating the truth brand. J Health Comm. 2005; 10(2): 181-192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Klein JD, Havens CG, Carlson EJ. Evaluation of an adolescent smoking-cessation media campaign: GottaQuit.com. Pediatrics. 2005; 116(4): 950-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Sly DF, Trapido E, Ray S. Evidence of the dose effects of an antitobacco counteradvertising campaign. Prev Med. 2002; 35: 511-518.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Kozlowski LT, Yost B, Stine MM, Celebucki C. Massachusetts’ advertising against light cigarettes appears to change beliefs and behavior. Am J Prev Med. 2000; 18(4): 339-42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Munafò MR, Roberts N, Bauld L, Leonards U. Plain packaging increases visual attention to health warnings on cigarette packs in non-smokers and weekly smokers but not daily smokers. Addiction. 2011; 106(8): 1505-10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Zucker D, Hopkins RS, Sly DF, Urich J, Kershaw JM, Solari S. Florida’s “truth” campaign: a counter-marketing, anti-tobacco media campaign. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2000; 6(3): 1-6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Cotter T, Perez DA, Dessaix AL, Bishop JF. Smokers respond to anti-tobacco mass media campaigns in NSW by calling the Quitline. NSW Public Health Bull. 2008; 19(3–4): 68-71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  79. Eisenberg M, Ringwalt C, Driscoll D, Vallee M, Gullette G. Learning from truth: youth participation in field marketing techniques to counter tobacco advertising. J Health Commun. 2004; 9(3): 223-31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Dietz NA, Delva J, Woolley ME, Russello L. The reach of a youth-oriented anti-tobacco media campaign on adult smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008; 93(1–2): 180-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Hershey JC, Niederdeppe J, Evans WD, et al. The theory of “truth”: how counterindustry campaigns affect smoking behavior among teens. Health Psychol. 2005; 24(1): 22-31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Halpern-Felsher BL, Biehl M, Kropp RY, Rubinstein ML. Perceived risks and benefits of smoking: differences among adolescents with different smoking experiences and intentions. Prev Med. 2004; 39(3): 559-67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Hyland A, Wakefield M, Higbee C, Szczypka G, Cummings KM. Anti-tobacco television advertising and indicators of smoking cessation in adults: a cohort study. Health Educ Res. 2006; 21(3): 348-54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. McVey D, Stapleton J. Can anti-smoking television advertising affect smoking behaviour? Controlled trial of the Health Education Authority for England’s anti-smoking TV campaign. Tob Control. 2000; 9: 273-282.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Fielding R, Chee YY, Choi KM, et al. Declines in tobacco brand recognition and ever-smoking rates among young children following restrictions on tobacco advertisements in Hong Kong. J Public Health (Oxf). 2004; 26(1): 24-30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  86. Bansal MA, Cummings KM, Hyland A, Giovino GA. Stop-smoking medications: who uses them, who misuses them, and who is misinformed about them? Nicotine Tob Res. 2004; 6(Suppl 3): S303-10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Milano M, McInturff B, Nichols JL. The effect of earned and paid media strategies in high visibility enforcement campaigns. J Safety Res. 2004; 35(2): 203-14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Salzberg PM, Moffat JM. Ninety five percent: an evaluation of law, policy, and programs to promote seat belt use in Washington State. J Safety Res. 2004; 35(2): 215-22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Wells J, Malenfant JEL, Williams A, Van Houten R. Use of community program to increase seat belt use among shopping center patrons in Charlotte. N C J Saf Res. 2000; 31: 93-99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  90. Solomon MG, Compton RP, Preusser DF. Taking the Click It or Ticket model nationwide. J Saf Res. 2004; 35(2): 197-201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  91. Warnick E, Dearden KA, Slater S, Butrón B, Lanata CF, Huffman SL. Social marketing improved the use of multivitamin and mineral supplements among resource-poor women in Bolivia. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2004; 36(6): 290-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Farrelly MC, Davis KC, Haviland ML, Messeri P, Healton CG. Evidence of a dose–response relationship between “truth” antismoking ads and youth smoking. Am J Pub Health. 2005; 95(3): 425-431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  93. Evans WD. Branding health behavior: evidence and case studies. Presented at the NIH Workshop on Health Branding, Bethesda, MD, September 2011.

  94. McDermott L, Stead M, Hastings G. What is and what is not social marketing. J Mark Manag. 2005; 21: 545-553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  95. Snyder L. Health communication campaigns and their impact on behavior. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007; 39(S2): S32-S40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Evans WD. How social marketing works in health care. British Med J. 2006; 322: 1207-1210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  97. Noar SM. Behavioral interventions to reduce HIV-related sexual risk behavior: review and synthesis of meta-analytic evidence. AIDS Behav. 2008; 12(3): 335-53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the valuable input of participants at the 2011 NIH Health Branding workshop for helping to shape the ideas that led to this systematic review.

Authors’ statement

W. Douglas Evans, Jonathan Blitstein, Wendy Nilsen, Donna Vallone, and Samantha Post declare that they have no conflict of interest. None of the authors received any financial support or compensation in connection with this manuscript. As the study did not involve human subject research, no institutional research board approvals or ethical considerations apply.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    W Douglas Evans PhD

  2. RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Post Office Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709-2194, USA

    Jonathan Blitstein PhD

  3. Legacy for Legacy for Health, Washington, DC, USA

    Donna Vallone PhD

  4. Independent Consultant, Washington, DC, USA

    Samantha Post MPH

  5. National Institutes of Health, Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, Washington, DC, USA

    Wendy Nielsen PhD

Authors
  1. W Douglas Evans PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jonathan Blitstein PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Donna Vallone PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Samantha Post MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wendy Nielsen PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to W Douglas Evans PhD.

Additional information

Implications

Practice: Branding is a powerful tool to increase uptake and engagement with health interventions.

Policy: Resources are needed both to increase research on health branding in multiple domains and to improve practitioner and researcher education in the use of this promising practice.

Research: Future research should examine branding as a mediator of behavior change and establish effect sizes for branded programs in multiple domains compared to unbranded alternatives.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Evans, W.D., Blitstein, J., Vallone, D. et al. Systematic review of health branding: growth of a promising practice. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 5, 24–36 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-014-0272-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-014-0272-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation