Background and challenges to implementation:
In high- and low-income countries alike, there is still a global lag between evidence and practice in tobacco control communications. Whether or not it is due to a lack of resources, proper application of health communication science, and use of effective communication material, are often missing from the mass media campaign development process.

Intervention or response:
Vital Strategies' new Media Beacon resource addresses this by providing evidence-based materials that can be easily adapted and licensed from their original owners, at little or no cost, for outcome-oriented mass media campaigns. The site also provides practical guidance on campaign planning and development

Results and lessons learnt:
The resource of video material appropriate for television PSAs is available in Arabic, Bahasa, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Russian and Spanish. Beacon also holds a library of 92 images available for use on graphic pack warnings, with a special focus on images relevant to the AFRO region. The searchable, user-friendly online resource provides information and evidence-based materials likely to be useful in national-level mass media campaigns targeting behavior and policy change.

Conclusions and key recommendations:
National governing bodies and tobacco control partners should utilize the Media Beacon resource when planning and developing mass media campaigns or implementing graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where this can greatly reduce the cost of production.