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To examine whether awareness of the source of sun protection campaigns in New South Wales, Australia was associated with message recall and sun protection knowledge and behaviours.

Telephone surveys of random samples (n=800) of parents and other carers of children under 12 years of age were conducted before and after the first two campaigns and after the third campaign.

Recognition of the NSW Cancer Council (NSWCC) as the message source increased after each campaign. Cross‐sectional analyses revealed that after the first and third campaigns those who could identify the NSWCC were 1.4‐1.7 times more likely than those who could not to demonstrate knowledge about child sun protection practices (p<0.05). After the first campaign those with accurate message source awareness were 1.4 times more likely to report using sunscreen or clothing to protect their children, while after campaign three this awareness was associated with a greater likelihood (OR 1.6, p<0.05) of using hats, sunscreen and protective clothing.

While causality cannot be determined using a cross‐sectional design, the use of serial population surveys to analyse the relationship between message source awareness and sun protection knowledge and behaviours strengthens the basis for examining the role of this factor.

Presenting a readily identifiable and credible message source is likely to enhance the impact of health campaigns and this factor should be given attention in the pre‐testing of communications.

The importance of a credible communication source has been postulated by various theorists, but this one of few studies to examine the role played this factor in a population‐wide, health promotion campaign.