Powerful Antismoking commercial

[Jackimalyn]

Just thought I'd share this commercial.

http://www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/commercials/1635/

[Exodus]

I like it! People getting nailed by cars... always nice. It really gets the message across too.

[morea]

ow!

[patkennedy78]

Hmm, very powerful indeed. Kind of like the VW airbag commercials.

But I don't know how effective it will be. It's so unrealistic. They got the shock factor and the 'have you seen it' angle. But I don't think the deterrent is there.

I honestly think black lungs and old people with emphazema hacking and coughing should be used more. These are the effects of smoking, this IS what will happen.

Kids and Teenagers will always do what you tell them not to do, the whole act of rebellion and all. They need to push the discusting facts more.

And all this is coming from a ex-smoker, but I started when I was 16 or so, and you could show me all the commercials and do all the Dare activites you want, it still won't help teens not rebel.

[reuber1]

Actually, they need to ram down our throats commercials with parents saying how awesome it is to smoke, how it's "da bomb yo" (they must use the lingo of the youth), and all the cool mack daddies are doing it. Make smoking the lamest thing ever, then you'll stop smoking.

[Jackimalyn]

I think that when you hear that smoking kills, you dont actually think of death. This just reminds you that, yea, you die. At least thats how I saw it. I do like reuber's idea though. Or they should show how ugly it makes you. No onffense to anyone who smokes... but when you see an "older" looking person with the wrinkles and stuff, and you can tell theyre a smoker. Its gross, i think.Lets get some more ugly exposure

[morea]

I honestly think black lungs and old people with emphazema hacking and coughing should be used more. These are the effects of smoking, this IS what will happen.

I'll tell you, a while back they had some commercials on that showed the dissection of an esophagus or other body parts affected by smoking.

It was absolutely disgusting.

And they ALWAYS played them while I was eating dinner.

I absolutely hated those commercials, and I have never smoked, so I don't need a deterrent. Blech!

[D-Frag]

why dont they make it illegal.... i mean come on, when was the last time you saw a tobacco seed

[Red Kittie Kat]

Oy.... I'm hearing that sound of a beaten horse approaching again ;)

[JPnyc]

Did the horse smoke?

[Red Kittie Kat]

:D lmaooooo JP

[JPnyc]

Just wondering what brand a horse would smoke................................camel?

[Red Kittie Kat]

No Silly ...... Mustangs ...... the cheaper version of Marlboro's :p

[reuber1]

Lucky Strikes probably.

[JPnyc]

Only if the horse were a bowler, and a smoker.

[Red Kittie Kat]

I bet he would have a hell of a hoof shot! .......... oops I mean hook shot :p

[rickself]

Bowling horses that smoke... there's a pair (or 2) of shoes I'm not getting too close to!

[maxx]

My opinion on this commercial?

It's not aimed at smokers at all.....but rather non-smokers....and is cleverly designed to fuel the fanatical hatred of smokers. It's open season on smokers is the true message being displayed in that ad.


I can see you are all shocked by this revalation......I shall elaborate in excruciating detail.:D

Back in my college days (between parties) I had the pleasure of taking a number of courses which dealt with subliminal advertising and the psychology used in them. Now...I am not talking about all those whacko theories like the one where the word "sex" is embedded in Ritz crackers or backwards masking of messages in music. I am talking about the true buttons being pushed by advertisers and the like.

In this case we need to look at how the no smoking crusade is being conducted. For better or worse....those wishing to see an end to people smoking have gone with peer pressure as the primary tool. They succeeded in setting smokers as almost second class citizens and told the public is was "OK" to ostricize them because they were such terrible, horrible people that were costing them money, killing their children....and ruining their live. "Those damn smokers" is almost a battle cry now. You can do and say things to smokers now that it is either illegal or at least improper to say to any other group of people. You can segragate them...you can kick them out of public buildings...you can fine them...you can stand in the middle of the street and proclaim your hatred for them......and all of a sudden it is the right thing to do. All because they are evil horrible people.....

Now....enter this commercial and why it is aimed at non-smokers and not smokers depsite the claim. This thing isn't telling smokers that by doing their thing they are going to die at a rate of 1 in 3. And that they are taking the same chances as someone crossing a street in flowing traffic...

What this is ad is doing is speaking to the peers.....and saying smokers are less than you are and it is OK to run them over....but in a figurative and symbolic way. Obviously they aren't saying get in your car and kill smokers, but rather working a subtle nerve...a subliminall one...that reinfiorces the reduction of smokers to a lower class. In the raw case....roadkill.

Psychologically speaking....this ad speaks to the non-smokers...on a level that is not apparent. This is no conspiracy theory....this tried and true advertising techniques which you can see in every commercial you see....if you are willing to look. Ad makers have one job....sell things. Wheher it be a product or idea, the technique is the same....work the unconscious side, not the conscious one. What sells more Coca-Cola....the huge flashing billboard with a logo and phrase "Drink COKE".....or the image of a celebrity quietly relaxing while sipping the stuff?

Don't know? Ask an ad exec.....he/she will tell you...and you might be surprised.:cool:

[JPnyc]

Manipulation of the semi-conscious mind is basic to just about every avenue of our existence. Advertisers do it, our goverment does it, the so-called alternative news sources that OPPOSE the goverment do it, the so-called "legit" news sources do it, in short nearly everyone does it.

That's why truly thinking for one's self is so difficult and elusive, beacuse we're literally surrounded and bombarded with efforts to make us do the contrary.

[urstwile]

That's some very interesting reasoning, Maxx.

What strikes me about all of the anti-smoking commercials, with the possible exception of the Truth campaign, is that, as you've said, they've really personalized the campaigns, directing the campaign at smokers, making them look stupid for choosing to smoke. Some might argue that in fact we are stupid for smoking, but it's interesting to me that there are no similar campaigns against alcohol abuse and addiction, at least none that I recall seeing. I guess the fact that it's still legal to advertise beer on t.v. keeps that a moot point.

I'm in no way going to try to argue any rationale as to why I smoke, it's a personal choice, and the point has already been overbeaten to death. The actual point I'm trying to make, which you also explained very well, is that it's apparently okay to target smokers as second-class citizens, and not okay if it were done to other groups, with the possible exception of people who smoke marijuana.

[JPnyc]

It's not hard to see the truth in what he said. I've always taken the position that the government should spend NO time or money protecting me, from me. If I need protection from me, then just institutionalize me and fit me for a nice white jacket with sleeves that tie in the back. Otherwise, stay the ________ out of my life. Government should administrate, and it should protect me from you, and you from me, not me from myself.

[shadepics]

I like Maxx's version. Spot on with the advert not doing much for people already smoking, i think to target them you need to go for the whole disgusting bad breath etc etc Especially for stopping teens.

[Patrick Shannon]

The problem with Truth and similar commercials is that teenager are not stupid...they see it as corporate goody-goody propaganda. I remember talking about those commercials at my high school and college and literally everyone (including non smokers) thought they were lame.

There was some episode of South Park that really intelligently attacked the anti-smoking campaign, it was genius.

If I designed an anti-smoking commercial, it would be set in a Pulp Fiction setting where the head of the tobacco industry is Zed, and you (the smoker) is Marcelas Wallace. Cause you see, addition to something you can't quit makes you someone's bitch. ;) Hey, works for bad kids in the "Scared Straight" program.

Or more realistically, they should really hit someone's wallet. As a kid, I used to see how much Mom blew on those cartons of cigarettes....sheesh, that'd nearly pay all my utilities for the month.

[urstwile]

Or more realistically, they should really hit someone's wallet. As a kid, I used to see how much Mom blew on those cartons of cigarettes....sheesh, that'd nearly pay all my utilities for the month.
They're already hitting our wallets, Patrick. Ironically, very little of the money goes to stop smoking therapies and stuff like that. It pays for schools, and all kinds of non-smoking related things. At least, the latest proposition here in California to raise the tax on cigarettes (yet again) targeted the money in that direction.

Something I find completely ironic. Paying for public services at the expense of others' addictions. Talk about the government as a pimp.

[Jackimalyn]

If I designed an anti-smoking commercial, it would be set in a Pulp Fiction setting where the head of the tobacco industry is Zed, and you (the smoker) is Marcelas Wallace. Cause you see, addition to something you can't quit makes you someone's bitch. ;) Hey, works for bad kids in the "Scared Straight" program.

If you're targeting teenagers, this will blow right over their head. Teenagers dont know who Zed is.

[reuber1]

"Who's Zed?"

"Zed's dead baby. Zed's dead."

[captain spanky]

everyone thinks "it'll never happen to me..."

[Jackimalyn]

spanky, you talking about being hit by a car? or being killed by smoking? or is this a Zed reference?

[mac.FINN]

call me cynical, but smoking will always be "cool" and young will always want to smoke. Ad's like this aren't really shock factors to kids, they know it's CG and they're used to seeing this stuff.

[shadepics]

im a teenager and i know who zed is!!

Smoking does seem to be getting less cool as a whole, but certain groups of people still do, dragging with them people who will smoke 'socially'

[jimking]

Zed's dead.

[captain spanky]

the smoking... people know that it makes people seriously ill.. but everyone thinks that it won't happen to them... or that they'll get 'got' by something else before they have to endure the years of breathing difficulties, overly aged skin, rotten teeth, bad breath, stained fingers etc etc... but you know... most people end up getting that way anyway and sit there feeling like crap, wishing they didn't smoke that much when they were younger. I mean i don't know of many smokers who sit there in their old age saying "maaan i smoked loads when i was younger.. i really enjoyed that, I'm glad i smoked loads, in fact, i wish i smoked more..."... i DO know plenty of people who wish they smoked less because they couldn't keep up with their kids when they were playing football etc...

[shadepics]

My uncle went cold turkey with his smoking due to having kids, and doesn't regret his decision to one bit!

[Patrick Shannon]

If you're targeting teenagers, this will blow right over their head. Teenagers dont know who Zed is.

Cause as the others said, he's dead.

Seriously, I was using analogies. Believe it that teenagers know what symbolic ass rape is, and no one wants their sphincter violoted ;)

[mac.FINN]

I'll admit that I'm not a teenager and I don't know who Zed is.

[Jackimalyn]

mac... me either.

[peder]

Warning: movie spoiler for Pulp Fiction.

First Zed ****s Marcellus in the ass, and then the game turns and Marcellus gives Zed a shot in the balls followed by a slow, painful death.

I liked the ad, but the gore ones are probably more effective if you want to keep the "kids" away.

[shadepics]

^^ Yeah the ad needed the after effects of gettin run over really. Although concept was great.

[Navian]

I have a morbid, but I think a powerful anti-smoking ad.

It would be a video taping of an autopsy, of some guys open chest, as the doctor is inspecting the lungs, and makes a intelligent statement about the guys lungs, while the footage shows the lungs.

If its gross enough to make you sick, it should be gross enough to make you quit.

That has a ring to it.

[Jackimalyn]

^^ EWW...
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j139/jackimalyn/lung.jpg

Two other ads I thought Id share
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j139/jackimalyn/smoke.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j139/jackimalyn/SmokersCocktail.jpg

[Navian]

Well, I should, record the sounds that my mother-in-law makes when she wakes up in the morning. She has emphysema, and is on oxygen. I'll tell you I almost puke every time I hear the clearing of left over smoking flem thats been caked in her lungs. I think I will record that sound. Its very discusting, it is a result of her smoking for about 20 years.

[Broacher]

I think I have a solution to stop teenagers from smoking. It would require a legislative change, and it's this:

Remove the law that prohibits selling tobacco to minors. Replace it with a law that says all tobacco products can only be sold at hospitals. Specifically, the outlets should be located dead smack in the middle of the patient lounges of the oncology clinics which would be built at the expense of the tobacco industry and would be laid out in such a way that would force all tobacco customers to have to walk through all the patients on the way to the dispensing counter. All the people selling the tobacco would have to be in advanced stages of lung cancer.

Thank you. Come :::AAAHAAAACKKKK!!!!:::: again.

[ding]