In its latest New Year cessation campaign, the Public Health England has urged smokers to quit smoking by graphically showcasing the damage smoking causes to the body.
The £1m campaign was conceptualized by M&C Saatchi. The 20 second spot features a lone man smoking outside a building, with the blood vessels in his arms, face and hands quickly turning black as chemicals from the cigarette tar enter his body.
The film is released in tangent with a short film in which Dr Dawn Harper talked to a group of smokers about the levels of carbon monoxide, cadmium and cancer-causing substances called nitrosamines in their blood, and the damage these chemicals can cause to the body.
The campaign’s PR was handled by freuds while Carat handled media buying and MEC was responsible for media planning. 23Red lead the commercial partnerships element.
Martin Dockrell, head of tobacco control at Public Health England said: “Our campaign is to add to that motivation and give extra support to people who want to quit in the New Year. Tar is this generic name we give for all the solid matter that you inhale [from a cigarette].”