DHBs spend up big on celebrity endorsement
District health boards have paid celebrities and sports franchises more than $500,000 to endorse their health communications during the last five years.
The biggest spender was MidCentral DHB, which paid the local basketball and rugby teams, the Palmerston North Jets and Manawatu Turbos, $444,000 to support its Smokefree campaign, data obtained by the Sunday StarTimes under the Official Information Act shows.
Waikato DHB spent $47,101 to have Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty promote its doomed SmartHealth online platform. The DHB also paid netballerturned-TV-presenter Courtney Tairi $600 to speak about oral health at schools.
Counties Manukau and Bay of Plenty DHBs’ Smokefree partnerships with local rugby players and Ma¯ ori personalities cost $3500 and $5500 respectively.
Auckland DHB paid a famous family $10,937 to be the faces of Safekids Aotearoa’s home safety campaign.
Former Shortland Street actor Cameron Jones received $4000 from Hawke’s Bay DHB to star in a recruitment video.
Canterbury DHB paid psychologist and TV host Nigel Latta $4476 to speak to staff about wellbeing and managing stress after the 2011 earthquake.
Other DHBs did not pay any celebrities or could not provide figures by deadline.
Spokespeople for MidCentral Waikato, Counties Manukau and Bay of Plenty DHBs said the sports figures featured in their campaigns were well respected in their communities and would connect with people who were otherwise difficult to reach.
A MidCentral DHB spokesman said it was confident its campaign had discouraged smoking, and was therefore a success.
A Hawkes Bay DHB spokeswoman said it monitored the impact its video had though social media and website analytics. Canterbury DHB said it received positive feedback about Latta’s talks.
University of Otago public health Professor Richard Edwards said DHB promotion of healthy activity was positive.
‘‘It is certainly better than having sport sponsored by the makers of unhealthy products such as alcohol or junk food as is often the case currently.’’