The truth is the brand
Nine agencies share $185 million anti-smoking campaign budget
Nine agencies share $185 million anti-smoking campaignBy Thérèse Balduzzi Last fall, U.S. agencies vied for the contract to run a nationwide anti-smoking campaign for the American Legacy Foundation, made possible by the $206 billion settlement of 46 state lawsuits against the tobacco industry. The result is called "Truth" and is the largest national anti-smoking campaign.
For its first year, the "Truth" campaign has a budget of $185 million. It was created by a consortium of diverse agencies in collaboration with teenagers and includes TV commercials, print ads, radio spots and the interactive website www.thetruth.com.
The basic idea is to advertise "Truth" like a branded product. One commercial, for example, shows three female teenagers trying out the latest miracle ointment against pimples in a bathroom. What begins as a harmless round of girlish fun ends tragically: after they have applied the cream to their faces, one of the three young women drops dead. Then an off-screen voiceover says, "Only cigarette smoking causes one out of three people to die from it." Another commercial tells a similar story with bungee jumping as the motif.
On the website, young people express opinions about the anti-smoking campaign, such as the question "Does advertising make people smoke or not?" "Totally. Advertising is effective, otherwise tobacco companies wouldn't invest millions of dollars in it," says 16-year-old Marin from Utah.
17-year-old Eric from California disagrees: "Most of the time, boys start smoking because everyone around them is smoking." On the website, young people are invited to submit music or video entries and lyrics that are about the truth.
Also part of the campaign is a "Truth Truck Tour" that will travel across the country and end at the World Tobacco Conference in Chicago in August.
A Multiethnic Campaign for the Melting Pot USA
The campaign aims to counter the tactics of cigarette advertising. Therefore, "Truth" is advertised as if it were a branded product. The concept is based on a campaign created by Miami agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky for the Florida Department of Public Health three years ago.
The agency is one of nine that make up the consortium. Other agencies include Bromley Communications of San Antonio for the Hispanic population, Burell Communications Group of Chicago for the African-American audience. To ensure the right tone is struck and the ads are placed in the right shows, numerous teens were involved in developing the campaign.
For its first year, the "Truth" campaign has a budget of $185 million. It was created by a consortium of diverse agencies in collaboration with teenagers and includes TV commercials, print ads, radio spots and the interactive website www.thetruth.com.
The basic idea is to advertise "Truth" like a branded product. One commercial, for example, shows three female teenagers trying out the latest miracle ointment against pimples in a bathroom. What begins as a harmless round of girlish fun ends tragically: after they have applied the cream to their faces, one of the three young women drops dead. Then an off-screen voiceover says, "Only cigarette smoking causes one out of three people to die from it." Another commercial tells a similar story with bungee jumping as the motif.
On the website, young people express opinions about the anti-smoking campaign, such as the question "Does advertising make people smoke or not?" "Totally. Advertising is effective, otherwise tobacco companies wouldn't invest millions of dollars in it," says 16-year-old Marin from Utah.
17-year-old Eric from California disagrees: "Most of the time, boys start smoking because everyone around them is smoking." On the website, young people are invited to submit music or video entries and lyrics that are about the truth.
Also part of the campaign is a "Truth Truck Tour" that will travel across the country and end at the World Tobacco Conference in Chicago in August.
A Multiethnic Campaign for the Melting Pot USA
The campaign aims to counter the tactics of cigarette advertising. Therefore, "Truth" is advertised as if it were a branded product. The concept is based on a campaign created by Miami agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky for the Florida Department of Public Health three years ago.
The agency is one of nine that make up the consortium. Other agencies include Bromley Communications of San Antonio for the Hispanic population, Burell Communications Group of Chicago for the African-American audience. To ensure the right tone is struck and the ads are placed in the right shows, numerous teens were involved in developing the campaign.
