Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the political functions of government-sponsored social marketing campaigns aimed at changing citizens’ behaviour and to argue for the reconsideration of the boundaries between political, public sector and social marketing.

Design/methodology/approach – Critical discourse analysis of print advertisements and promotional material of a government-sponsored social marketing campaign is used.

Findings – The paper identifies the discursive ways in which the campaign influences the public's views of social issues and actors and discusses the role of such campaigns in the redefinition of the relationship between the citizen and the state.

Originality/value – The paper contributes to critical perspectives on the wider impact of social marketing activities on democracy by demonstrating the political impact function and effects of campaigns run by governments.