Written By: Sameer Jha | Updated : May 2, 2014 5:26 PM IST
'In this nationwide survey of general practitioners, surgeons, throat specialists, diagnosticians and so on the brand named most was Camel. Yes, according to the survey, more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.' were the words used in this 1949 ad for a cigarette brand. Seems shocking now, doesn't it? With increased medical research and intense anti smoking campaigns, every smoker now is likely to know the dangers of smoking. In this post, we'll list out 10 extremely creative and effective ads from India and abroad.
1. Smoking kid
This advertisement does not educate about the harmful effects of smoking, it understands that people already know about it. Regarded by some as the best 'anti-smoking campaign' ever, this ad shows little kids going up to adult smokers and asking them for a lighter. The adults are shocked, and they themselves explain the various dangers of smoking it causes lung cancer, makes you age quickly, etc. These smokers are then handed a letter by the kid which says, 'You worry about me. But why not yourself? Reminding yourself is the most effective warning to help you quit.'
2. You don't always die from tobacco
This ad is extremely effective because the message is presented in the form of a song which has an upbeat and happy ring to it. However, the man who is singing this song, has to speak from a voice box because smoking has taken his ability to speak. Some smokers tend to think that death is easy, and in fact an escape from existence. However, as the ad says, you don't always die from tobacco, sometimes you just lose your lungs.
3. Why don't you focus on the positive?
A group of people enter a big tobacco company and ask one of the people working there, 'Why don't you tell people that cigarette smoke has arsenic?'. The person breaks into a song and replies back with a question, 'Why don't you focus on the positive, coz positive is the way you gotta be.' The ad has a sarcastic ring to it, and tells you that even though doctors may remove your lung, you shouldn't be depressed. After all, it's just a load off your chest.
4. Smoking ages you by up to 19 years
A very subtle ad, this one starts with a young woman smoking a cigarette. She is taking long puffs that is giving her a feeling of relief. You can tell that she is absolutely enjoying the cigarette. However, her pleasure doesn't last long as the third puff that she takes makes sudden wrinkles appear on her skin. The ad ends with the gory message that says 'Smoking ages you by up to 19 years.'
5. Lungs are like sponges
Most of you might already have seen this ad as it is often shown on TV and in theatres. The ad begins by telling people how our lungs are made to breathe air, but some people use their lungs to breathe cigarette smoke. Using a sponge, it demonstrates the amount of cancer causing tar a pack a day smoker accumulates in a year. The amount is extremely disconcerting for any smoker.
6. Never give up, giving up
My favourite ad on the list, this ad tells you that you may not be able to quit smoking when you first attempt it, but you should keep trying. Many people try to quit smoking and don't. This failure discourages them and they decide to go back to their old smoking ways to find comfort. However, this ad tells you that every time you quit, you get a little better at it.
7. Chanting lighter
More creative than effective, this ad demonstrates the use of a lighter that plays an Indian death chant whenever someone tries to light up a cigarette.
8. Be kind to smokers
This is an old Indian ad where a young man who is standing in a bus, lights up a cigarette. An old man sitting right besides him gets up, and asks him to sit. It ends with a voiceover which says, 'Studies show that a person loses seven minutes of his life every time he smokes a cigarette. Be nice to smokers. They don't have much time left.'
9. Smoking can cost your skin
Even if, the high amount of taxes has made cigarettes really expensive, some people are still willing to shell out the necessary amount. In this ad, a young woman enters a store and asks for a pack of cigarettes. However, the store owner is not satisfied with just the money, and tells her. 'This is not enough.' The young woman then removes skin from her face and pays with it.
10. How to get rid of 60 tonnes of toxic rubbish
An extremely intelligent ad, this is set in a boardroom where the topic of discussion is, 'How to get rid of 60 tonnes of toxic rubbish without spending a lot?' A bright executive comes up with the idea of making people swallow this rubbish in the form of cigarettes. This will not just get rid of the rubbish, but also make money for the corporation.
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