Three trends in the evolution of the UK Learndirect advice service are identified: the partial migration from telephone to web-based services; the trend within the telephone service from information/advice-oriented interventions to more guidance-oriented interventions; and the move from a mainly learning-oriented service to a more career-oriented service. The extent to which these trends are due to changing patterns of customer needs and behaviours, or the effects of policy decisions reflected in social marketing campaigns, is reviewed. Comparable information from New Zealand is presented to indicate the impact of investment in such marketing. Implications for the proposed integration of the Learndirect service in England into a new careers service for adults are discussed. A number of more general conclusions are noted. (Contains 2 tables.)