В статье рассматривается роль социальной рекламы как инструмента формирования общественного мнения и влияния на социальное поведение на примере города Тюмени. Исследование основано на социологическом опросе, проведённом среди 100 жителей, представляющих различные демографические группы. Анализ сосредоточен на уровне осведомлённости общественности, эмоциональном восприятии и поведенческом влиянии социальных рекламных кампаний. Результаты показывают, что, хотя социальная реклама считается важным инструментом для решения социально значимых проблем, её эффективность зависит от ясности сообщения, креативности и соответствия ожиданиям аудитории. В исследовании подчёркивается необходимость персонализированных коммуникационных стратегий и интеграции цифровых медиа для усиления влияния социальной рекламы на общественное сознание.

Ключевые слова: социальная реклама, общественное мнение, социологический опрос, эффективность, коммуникационные стратегии, социальное поведение.

Public opinion is a set of views, assessments and attitudes of a significant part of society regarding topical social, political, economic and cultural issues. It is formed under the influence of various factors such as mass media, social networks, education, cultural traditions and personal experience of people. Public opinion plays an important role in the life of society, as it can influence decision-making by public authorities, policy-making by companies and organisations, and the behaviour of individual citizens.

We associate our own history of public opinion sociology as a special sociological discipline with the names of American scientists W. Lippman and A. L. Lowell. It was these scientists who in the 20s of the XX century outlined the subject area of sociology of public opinion. Among the most important problems of sociological study of public opinion they referred: firstly, the forms of expression of public opinion; secondly, the boundaries of competence of public opinion [4].

Walter Lippman is one of the classic researchers of public opinion. His work «PublicOpinion» has become very popular not only in the USA, but also in Russia. His main contribution is the combination of philosophical, psychological, historical and sociological approaches in analysing public opinion. He considered the process of public opinion formation from the position that human cognitive capabilities are limited: a person cannot know everything, be absolutely informed, as the environment is too complex and changeable. Overcoming the diversity of the world, man systematises knowledge about it into categories. These categories are:

1. fictions, illusions;
2. stereotypes, which are united into systems of stereotypes that appear in the form of everyday patterns, beliefs, doctrines, social institutions;
3. elements of the environment, by means of which a person adapts to his/her surroundings. These elements include such objects of public opinion as facts, events, processes.

Public opinion is formed on these components. According to him, it is passed through other people, whereas individual opinion is formed by passing through the individual [3].

One of the most prominent sociologists of our time, Elisabeth Noel-Neumann, a specialist in public opinion, in the final chapter of her book ‘Public Opinion. Discovering the Spiral of Silence’ gives the following definition: «Public opinion is opinions, ways of behaviour that should be expressed or manifested publicly in order not to be isolated» [2].

From the position of the same theory, but with emphasis on the fear of isolation — public consent, E. Noel-Neumann gives another definition of public opinion: «public opinion is an agreement between representatives of one human community on a matter of important emotional or value significance, which should be respected by both the individual and the government under the threat of being rejected or overthrown — at least in the form of compromise in public behavior» [2].

Comparing these definitions of public opinion, we can conclude that they are interrelated: while the second definition emphasises the target function of public opinion — ensuring agreement between its carriers on assessments and attitudes towards its objects, the first definition points to public opinion as a way of achieving such agreement — threatening its carriers-subjects with isolation.

E. Noel-Neumann's theory of the so-called ‘spiral of silence’ has gained popularity in science, according to which people, seeing that the dominant social attitudes disseminated by the media or their immediate social environment contradict their own position, ‘shut up’, try to avoid expressing their point of view, fearing to be in the minority. And the more the dominant point of view seems to them to spread, the more they are silenced. The ‘spiral of silence’ can be overcome by neutralising ideas that generate social fears or by injecting stronger political ideas into the communicative field.

The main methods of public opinion research are:

1. Questionnaire — a survey based on a pre-prepared list of questions, which is conducted among respondents.
2. Focus groups — group discussion of a certain problem or issue with the participation of representatives of the target audience. 3. Interviews — conversation with an individual respondent on a certain topic.
3. Interviews — a conversation with an individual respondent on a particular topic.
4. Observation — the study and analysis of people's behaviour and reactions under certain conditions.
5. Internet surveys — collecting information through various online platforms and social networks.

In the modern world, social advertising plays an important role in shaping public opinion and influencing people's behaviour. This type of advertising differs from commercial advertising in that its purpose is not the sale of goods or services, but the impact on public problems, changing social behaviour and attitudes of citizens.

Identification of the main characteristics of social advertising should begin with the determination of the term. At the moment there is no unambiguous definition in scientific, special, journalistic literature and regulatory documents. At the stage of modern Russian social advertising there is a legislative formalisation of socio-advertising activities. The main and the only normative-legal act regulating the issues of social advertising in the Russian Federation is the Federal Law of 13 March 2006 No 38 — FZ ‘On Advertising (as amended on 1 May 2019) (version in force since 29 October 2019). Social advertising is regulated exclusively by Article 3 and Article 10 of this law.

From a legal point of view, the definition of social advertising is as follows: «social advertising — information disseminated in any way, in any form and using any means, addressed to an indefinite circle of people and aimed at achieving charitable and other socially useful goals, as well as ensuring the interests of the state» [1].

More often than not, the same advertising agencies create both social and commercial advertising. At the same time, the production of social advertising and commercial advertising is not the same. Social advertising requires special skills, professionalism, and most importantly creativity, as social advertising should cause more deep emotions, affect citizens more strongly than commercial advertising.

Under the effectiveness of advertising in the broad sense is understood the ratio of the degree of achievement of the goal set in this advertising activity, and the cost of achieving this goal. It is very important to be able to control the effectiveness of any advertising campaigns, as the process of creating and conducting such activities is labour-intensive and requires large finances.

In order to study the effectiveness of social advertising among the residents of Tyumen city, a survey was conducted to identify the opinions and feedback of the population on this topic. It can be stated that the city of Tyumen actively uses the technology of social advertising in various forms: video clips (television advertising); firewalls (outdoor advertising); posters (photographs), leaflets, brochures, booklets, noticeboards (information stands), flip-chart systems (advertising in various state institutions); social networks (Internet advertising); printed advertising in the press. Accordingly, the methods of distribution are also different: television, outdoor stationary advertising, printed advertising.

A questionnaire consisting of 15 questions was developed for the survey. The questionnaire included questions about the frequency of viewing social advertising, sources of information, subject matter of advertising messages, perception of their content and influence on respondents' behaviour. The survey was conducted by personal interviewing method during two weeks in different districts of Tyumen city. A total of 100 people of different age, gender and social status were interviewed. The survey was conducted using a random sample of Tyumen city residents. Respondents were selected on the streets of the central districts of the city, as well as in shopping centres and other public places.

The survey revealed that 70 % of respondents regularly encounter social advertising, mainly through television (50 %) and the Internet (40 %). The most common themes include health (60 %), ecology (25 %), and road safety (15 %). About 55 % of respondents believe that social advertising needs to be more emotional and visually appealing, while 45 % reported behavioural changes after exposure — such as adopting healthier habits or engaging in environmental activities. Nevertheless, 55 % indicated no behavioural change, suggesting limited message targeting. The survey also asked an open-ended question about wishes for advertising. Half of the respondents refused to answer this question, and half of them said that they would like to see more social advertising about healthy lifestyles. Now the emphasis of social advertising is on maintaining patriotism in the country, which is not to the liking of all residents. They noted that there is too much of this type of advertising and it is beginning to have a coercive character. Also, many people were in favour of increasing the number of positive messages and reducing the negativity in social advertising.

These findings indicate that the perception of social advertising is influenced by demographic factors, message quality, and relevance. Young respondents tend to respond better to interactive and digital formats, while older audiences prefer traditional channels such as television.

Based on the conducted research and analysis of public opinion regarding social advertising, we can formulate a number of recommendations aimed at improving its effectiveness and compliance with the expectations of the target audience.

1. Taking into account the interests and needs of the target audience. One of the main tasks of social advertising should be a deeper understanding of the needs and values of the audience to whom the message is addressed. For this purpose, it is recommended to conduct preliminary research, focus groups and surveys to identify current problems and preferences of potential consumers of information. This approach will ensure the creation of more relevant and attractive content.
2. Increasing the practicality and accessibility of information. The public expects social advertising not only to inform, but also to provide concrete steps that will help solve the voiced problem. This may include healthy lifestyle tips, environmental initiatives, help with addictions and other practical recommendations.
3. Use of modern technologies and platforms. Social advertising should keep up with the times and use modern technologies and platforms to spread its messages. This includes a strong presence on the internet, social media, mobile apps and other digital channels.
4. Improving the quality of visual and sound components. The quality of visuals and sound plays an important role in the perception of social advertising. Poor quality images and sound can reduce the credibility of the message and distract the audience from the message.
5. Emotional content without overdoing it. While emotional appeals are a powerful tool, it is important to avoid over-dramatisation and manipulative techniques. Excessive pressure on emotions can backfire and alienate the audience.
6. Evaluating and monitoring effectiveness. To continuously improve social advertising, it is necessary to regularly evaluate its effectiveness and analyse feedback from the audience. This will allow timely adjustments and improve the quality of future campaigns.

To sum up, the public opinion research on the effectiveness of social advertising identified key aspects of perceptions of this form of communication among different population groups. The analysis showed that social advertising has a significant impact on the formation of society's values and attitudes, but its effectiveness depends on many factors, such as the quality of execution, relevance of the topic, target audience and the context of dissemination. The results of the study emphasise the importance of an integrated approach to the creation and distribution of social advertising, taking into account all the above factors. In the conditions of modern information space, social advertising remains a powerful tool for shaping public consciousness and changing people's behaviour, but it requires careful elaboration and adaptation to specific tasks and audiences.

References:

1. About advertising: federal. law from 13.03.2006 No 38 FZ (ed. From 01.05.2019). — Text: electronic — URL: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_58968/ (date of the application 10.10.2025).
2. Pershutkin, S. N. Postal surveys as a method of studying the state youth policy. — April-June 2008. — № 2 (86) — Text:direct.
3. Public opinion. — Text: electronic — URL — https://media.fom.ru/fom-static/Book04.pdf — Lippman,Walter (date of the application 10.10.2025).
4. Klenina, E. A. Methodological traditions and approaches in the study of public opinion / E. A. Klenina, A. E. Peskov. — Text: electronic // Historical, philosophical, political and legal sciences, culturology and art history. Issues of theory and practice. — 2012. — № 3–2(17). — С. 81–84. — EDN OPLCLL. — URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/opredelenie-subekta-i-obekta-obschestvennogo-mneniya-v-rossiyskoy-nauchnoy-traditsii-osnovnye-podhody (date of the application: 01.10.2025).