Or maybe you do not "get it" right away. I am not afraid to admit that I did not. Someone had to explain to me what the symbolism of that picture means. And then I finally got it. Now, a few weeks later, I found this picture, and decided to share this information with you.
Personally, I think whoever was responsible for this, did not do a very good job. There are so many other ways to inform smokers about the health problems caused by smoking (see below for examples and check the link from Brazil)
Ok, so this does not work, but what would you do?
It would be interesting to hear from you. What would you do if you were charged with designing and writing copy for a tobacco packaging warning? Please use the comment box, or email me and I will gladly post your suggestions.
Below I have listed a number of warnings from different countries.
Smoking seriously harms you and others around you (Albania)
Smoking is detrimental to health (Argentina)
Don't let children breathe your smoke (Australia)
Brazil: See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cigarettes_brazil.JPG
Smoking hurts yourself, and hurts others (Taiwan)
Get help to stop smoking /consult with your doctor/pharmacist) (Croatia)
Smokers die sooner. (Germany and Austria)
Smoke contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanides (Czech Republic)
Smoking is highly addictive, don't start (Finland)
Smoking can cause low blood pressure and impotence (France)
Smoking causes premature skin aging (Greece)
Smoking can cause a long and painful death (Hungary)
Get help to stop smoking: Callsave Quitline 1850 201 203 (Ireland)
Smoking causes oral cancer. (Italy)
Smoking kills (Latvia)
Smoking may reduce the blood flow and causes impotence (Malta)
Smoking during pregnancy harms your baby (Netherlands)
Smokers die prematurely (Portugal)
Protect the children. Don't let them inhale your tobacco smoke (Sweden)
Stopping smoking reduces the risk of fatal heart and lung diseases (UK)
SMOKING CAUSES CANCER (India)
Warning by the government of Malaysia, Smoking endangers health (Malaysia)
WARNING: Quit smoking; live longer life. Ministry of Health. (Pakistan)
Smoking tobacco causes nicotine dependence (Russia)
Want a baby? Smoking reduces fertility in men and women (Serbia)
Smoking causes 92% of oral cancer (Singapore)
Seriously damages health (Switzerland)
Smoking also causes paralysis and heart diseases (South Korea)
Smokers die younger. (Ukraine)
Children start smoking when they see adults smoke (Venezuela)
How about you? Any ideas to a copy/image that would prevent people from buying that next pack of cigarettes?
3 comments:
Michael,
With all due respect- either you have no sense of humour or you arte not a very perceptive marketing expert.
OF COURSE the packaging works!
Ever heard of Brewer's Droop?
Well, now we have Smoker's Droop!
Personally, my preferred choice would be to show a hospital with a big red stripe through it- Smokers will not receive medical treatment. That would scare people away from tobacco more effectively than any tired slogan.
Martyn,
Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated - not much hope for smoking alcoholics, I assume?
Without me reading the headline (which tells it all), and by just looking at the image I was able to understand it (reminded me of Absolut Impotence). I feel (I admit I didn’t conduct a study on the Egyptian market when it comes to smoking and related habits), but I believe such execution could have the “stopping power” and it is directly addressing the “virility” of the “Eastern Male”. As for how effective is it in making people quit, similar exercises should be thoroughly examined because effective awareness campaigns are probably one of the most difficult types.
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