The Scottish Government is being warned that cuts to advertising and marketing campaigns could lead to a massive public health crisis.

Adverts that urged Scots to get their flu vaccine, check for cancer symptoms and warnings about the dangers of drunk driving have been impacted by the budget cuts put in place by finance secretary Shona Robison last week.

Agencies working on the campaigns were told their services would no longer be required. Redundancy notices to employees at these companies have already started being handed out and that, along with the risks to health from people who aren’t targeted by these adverts is being pinpointed as a major danger across the country.

John McLellan, the director of Newsbrands Scotland which represents the newspaper industry in Scotland, has serious concerns over both the problems it will cause to the media landscape as well as the health risks it brings.

It was announced last week that £800,000 would be slashed from VisitScotland’s budget and the revenue loss to agencies will result in job losses across the country.

But the bigger risk is what it could do to people’s health with Mr McLellan warning that cancelled campaigns – which provide essential public information – will ‘result in the deaths of vulnerable elderly people’.

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He is concerned they will not be prompted to get their winter flu vaccine and it will cause serious issues while other campaigns such as ‘Early Bird’ cancer warnings will also see people lose their lives.

In an open letter to the Government over the cuts, Mr McLellan said: “With the SNP cutting £500 million from Scottish Government budgets, including £115.8 million from health and social care, I doubt many readers will worry too much about the cancellation of their advertising and marketing campaigns.

“In normal years this would amount to around £20 million, and it underpins hundreds of jobs in Scotland’s creative sector, be they advertising agencies, media buyers, television and radio companies, magazines or news publishers.  

“The freeze has been known for some weeks, but last week it got worse, with £0.8 million slashed from VisitScotland’s budget 

“Sadly, there is no army of glamorous actors and writers to force a re-think like that which saved the Creative Scotland Open Fund, but it is no less critical for the bread and butter of the Scottish media industry.

“The creative work and booking strategies behind these campaigns are contracted to agencies, and even if they and media owners were generous enough to offer their services for free, the revenue loss would still mean job losses.

“Scottish agencies are now giving employees redundancy risk notices, but protected by a no compulsory redundancy policy, the jobs of those working in Scottish Government marketing are safe even though they have virtually nothing to do.

“But the implications are far greater than media jobs, because the cancelled campaigns are not just to fill space or airtime. They contain essential public information, not least of which is the real risk that the absence of a winter flu vaccination awareness programme will result in the deaths of vulnerable elderly people who have not been prompted to get their boosters.

“Health campaigns like the ‘Early Bird’ cancer detection initiative by Healthier Scotland and NHS Scotland, are crucial for encouraging people, particularly in more deprived communities, to get themselves checked. 

“Both examples show advertising can help save lives, so it’s not just about the self-interest of media companies.

“When the SNP revealed that severe cuts would need to be made, they pledged that those areas essential for economic growth would be protected, yet a recent Advertising Association report showed that every £1 spent on advertising generated £5 for the Scottish economy, so what looks like a saving for the Scottish Government is actually inflicting wider damage and puts its tax revenue at risk.

“There is no easy way out of the financial bind into which the Scottish Government is knotted, but like the Creative Scotland Open Fund, a rethink is urgently needed and the advertising tap reopened.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government freeze on public sector marketing expenditure for the remainder of the year is a necessary decision to ensure we have a balanced budget.

“It is inaccurate to suggest that all public health marketing campaigns have been paused. Indeed, Public Health Scotland will continue to undertake targeted communications work for vaccine programmes, including Winter Flu, to ensure those who are eligible for vaccinations are aware and encouraged to take them up. The Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early campaign launched last month.

“Scottish Government marketing activity will also continue across portfolio areas through low or no cost channels, such as social content, public relations and work with partner organisations. Paid for activity is also continuing where costs have already been committed or an essential need is identified. Current Scottish Government marketing activity includes campaigns on SARCS, motorbike safety and dementia.”