Data Protection: A Campaign to Increase Public Awareness of Rights Under the Data Protection Act

Objective: to inform people of their rights under the Data Protection Act, 1984, and explain how they could exercise them. Phase 1 used national press - 3 bursts. Evaluation showed there was still inertia, especially among lower social grades. Phase 2 involved strategy that dramatized real life cases and Registrar staff. Small budget (less than £500,000). Media: TV, tested in Granada, rolled out nationally. Evaluation: 4 months after the campaign began, enquiries to Registrar were more than double the total for previous 2 years. Increased awareness of issues. Quality and range of enquiries improved