INCa launches social media campaign to raise awareness among Generation Z about cancer risks

From April 2 to 30, 2025, the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) is rolling out an awareness campaign aimed at 18- to 25-year-olds, primarily on TikTok and Snapchat. Dubbed "The False Trail," this prevention campaign aims to alert Generation Z to risky behaviors that can contribute to the development of certain cancers.

At the same time, an information campaign aimed at their elders, those aged 25-49, will be relayed on television, online, and in nursing homes throughout the year.[1].

Worrying data on the health of young adults

The campaign is based on four short, immersive, narrative videos that address themes familiar to young adults: physical well-being, performance, savings, and appearance. Each video presents a story centered on a "miracle solution"—a product, a tip, or a trend—that appears to address these concerns, before revealing that these promises can mask risky behaviors. The message is clear: "false leads" do not protect health, unlike sustainable choices such as not smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, eating well, and exercising regularly. Adopting a balanced diet, exercising regularly, reducing alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking are all behaviors that provide concrete benefits for daily health. According to the French National Cancer Institute, these habits also have the advantage of helping to reduce the risk of developing cancer in the medium term.

This approach uses youth codes, formats, and communication channels. INCa aims to make its messages more accessible and impactful, in a context where risk perception often remains abstract for this generation.

The campaign comes amid reports of several worrying epidemiological signals: according to INCa data, the incidence of certain cancers (breast, brain, kidney, colorectal) is increasing among adolescents and young adults. Furthermore, approximately 40% of cancers could be prevented through lifestyle changes. By focusing on prevention from an early age, INCa seeks to reverse this trend.

Communication from health authorities is necessary in the face of tobacco industry strategies

This communication from public authorities on digital channels is all the more necessary since certain industries, particularly tobacco, are deploying a particularly aggressive communication strategy. Recent studies conducted by the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT)[2] and the National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT), have highlighted the growing use of digital channels by tobacco and nicotine product manufacturers to promote their devices, particularly to young people. These surveys highlight the use of influencers on Instagram as well as paid advertising campaigns to promote products such as vaping devices or nicotine pouches. These products regularly appear in content with polished aesthetic codes, associated with modern and urban lifestyles. The addictive nature of these products is generally overlooked, as are their potential effects on health. This lack of warning contributes to a trivialized, even positive, perception of their consumption, particularly among young audiences, the preferred targets of these indirect marketing strategies.

In this context, the mobilization of public health institutions on social networks constitutes a strategic lever for prevention. These digital platforms, now central to younger generations' access to information, play a decisive role in shaping perceptions and behaviors. It is therefore essential that health authorities deploy clear, scientifically validated public health messages adapted to the uses and codes of these channels. These campaigns are part of a set of coordinated measures aimed at reducing the consumption of tobacco and vaping products. They complement structural measures such as dissuasive tax policies, the strengthening of regulations governing the marketing of these products, as well as strict compliance with protective prohibitions, particularly those intended to limit exposure and access by young people.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE

[1] Press release, Cancer Prevention: The National Cancer Institute Takes on Generation Z's Codes to raise awareness of avoidable risk factors, published March 27, 2025, accessed April 1, 2025

[2] Tobacco-free generation, France: More than 200 influencers have promoted nicotine on Instagram since 2019, published March 13, 2025, accessed April 1, 2025