The Most Creative, Effective Anti-Smoking Ads.
I've been collecting these for over 20 years.
I’m not here to preach at smokers, it’s your life, it’s your lungs, it’s your choice.
I am here to shove brutal, scary, funny, and just damn creative anti-smoking ads in your face, though.
Nine print ads, four commercials, one outdoor installation, and one video game—presented with limited commentary, thanks to Substack’s article size restrictions.
1. Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (UK)
Start with two of my favorite visual ideas, both via Roy Castle. Above, no copy needed. Below: just a different url. Ad agency: CHI and Partners.
2. Non-Smoking Generation (Sweden)
Kind of funny. I’m sure Philip Morris sent a C&D letter to the organization. Ad agency: King Solutions KB, Stockholm.
3. UK Department of Health
Man taking a smoke break. As he inhales, a cancerous growth appears on his lung dart. Very simple. Very graphic. The Department says they developed the shock-vertising because their research shows that more than a third of smokers still believe that the health risks associated with smoking are "greatly exaggerated." From 2013. Ad agency: Dare, London.
4. LUNG PONG
I don’t know the source of this “ad”, but it is real, and real smart. You can even still play the game here. Do it while smoking!
5. World No Tobacco Day (Greece)
Ad agency: TBWA\Athens.
6. Regional Cancer Centre (India)
"Women who smoke feed more than just milk to their children”. Ouch, looking at that visual makes my nipples burn. That is a fine tit, though (probs fake). Ad agency: Bhadra Communications, Bangalore.
7. Cancer Institute NSW (Australia)
If you wanna avoid the most brutal PSAs, anti-smoking or otherwise, I suggest never moving to Australia. This is on my list of Ads I Wish I had Created. Using bubble wrap as a visual representation of your Alveoli (lung sacs) is brilliant. From 2006.
8. CDC (USA)
Amazingly, yes, the CDC ran this print ad in 1998. Ad agency: unknown.
9. PSA (Brazil)
"Save a life. Put out your cigarette." Simple, good visual idea using sidewalk poles in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Ad agency: Shoot The Shit, Brazil.
10. Russia
A pro-bono spot done by Moscow ad agency Smetana. “Childish” excuses indeed. The kids are good, especially the "after sex" boy and the "after that asshole left me" girl.
11. Nicotinell (Australia)
Ugh. Those hands. Ad agency: Euro RSCG Australia.
12. California Department of Health Services
Humor is not rampant in the category, but when it works, bang. Add in the fact that some of the original “Marlboro Men” ads men actually died of lung cancer, and, well... From 1999. Won a Wood Pencil at the D&AD Awards. Ad agency: Asher & Partners.
13. 15AndFalling (Canada)
Lastly, do you teens still light farts on fire? Probably not, because you’re too busy lighting everything else on fire in your video games. Anyway, this is about the best anyone could have done targeting teen smokers, I think. (15AndFalling was a teen anti-smoking site, now-dead.) Ad agency: Extreme Group, Halifax.
Smoking? Try it, you'll like it.