Factually incorrect? Poll reveals not understand Scotland’s key

Survey reveals flagship public health message is failing to

Most young people have no idea what the Scottish Government’s flagship public health message means, according to an opinion poll.

Ministers have spent £1.65 million on the campaign – based on the FACTS acronym – intended to drive home the steps that can be taken to curb the spread of Covid. However, a poll for The Sunday Post has revealed 51% of 16 to 24-year-olds have no idea what any of the letters stands for while eight out of 10 do not fully understand the message.

More than half of 16 to 24year-olds cannot say what any of the letters in the Scottish Government’s FACTS acronym stand for and 81% are unable to name all five key messages.

The findings of polling firm Survation suggest the vital message is failing to get through to younger people, seen as key in the battle to stop the spread of Covid. FACTS stands for: Face coverings in enclosed spaces; Avoid crowded places; Clean your hands regularly; Twometre distancing; Self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms.

However, the message has been criticised as being overly complicated compared to the UK Government’s Hands, Face, Space slogan.

Across Scotland, 40% of all 1,010 respondents said they knew what all five letters stood for. Sixteen per cent knew three or four and 13% knew one or two.

Almost a third – 31% – were unable to explain any of the slogan’s letters.

Among the 25 to 34 age group, 41% said they knew what all five letters stood for, but 29% had no idea.

The best result was among 45 to 54-year-olds, with 48% knowing all five while 24% knew none.

There were also regional variations in the awareness of FACTS with 38% of people living in the south of Scotland not knowing any of the letters compared to 27% in the Highlands where 44% knew all five. Public health experts and marketing experts say the results suggest the campaign may be failing to get through to young people, in particular. Earlier this month First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted FACTS, which she repeats at her daily, televised briefings, was working after being quizzed in parliament by MSP Liz Smith.

Ms Sturgeon said the government’s own polling showed

A scene from the Scottish Goverment’s latest FACTS TV advert

a good understanding of the key messages, and that the Scottish Government had just launched new TV adverts for the FACTS campaign. Ms Sturgeon was herself critical of the UK Government’s change of message in May from “Stay Home” to “Stay Alert”, saying the new slogan was “vague and imprecise”. Since then UK ministers adopted Hands, Face, Space. But Ms Smith said: “FACTS is too wordy, and this poll shows the message is only reaching just a small number of the 16-24 age group, the very group that will soon be travelling all over the country to be home for the festive season. This is very worrying. “Messaging is becoming increasingly vital, especially as the vaccine comes online and we have to have a better way of getting the basic information over to younger people in particular more effectively. We have to get this right.” Danny Meadows-klue, chief executive of the Digital Strategy Consultancy, said the key way of reaching young people was

Yes, I know what each of the five letters stand for No, but I know three or four

No, but I know one or two

No, I don’t know any through social media, rather than television.

He said: “If just 18% of people aged 16-24 knew, then there’s probably a weakness in media channel selection. Landing the message about restricting social freedoms is tough, and for a more socially active younger audience it’s all the more important that the message gets to them in the right channel and in the right way. “In communications strategy you go where the audience is. For a teen audience living on social media and following