Cancer Council revives cigarette product recall ad in fight with tobacco firms
As the debate swirls around the un-branding of cigarette packaging, Cancer Council has re-launched a campaign that first aired in 2002 to attack the motives of tobacco companies.
In the ad, satirist John Clarke plays a head honcho of a tobacco firm who announces a product recall on cigarettes. Clarke ends with the line: “Because if there’s one thing we care about here, it’s your health” – before bursting into laughter.
Edwina Pearse, media and communications manager at Cancer Council Victoria, told Mumbrella that the efforts of large tobacco firms, particularly British American Tobacco Australia, to smother the push for plain packaged cigarettes has prompted the re-run of the ad.
Pearse slammed the “outrageous claims” made by tobacco firms that the plain packaging of cigarettes would lead to a rise in organised crime.
The Federal Government wants to stop tobacco companies from putting logos or brands on cigarette packages from mid-next year.
The ‘Recall’ ad was directed by Jenni Meaney, who worked on the ABC’s Olympic Games spoof The Games. No ad agency was used.
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Cancer Council
Love it
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Super. This will get those tobacco gnomes frothing at the orafice.
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Nice work. Hope it helps the cause. What a bunch of absolute rubbish the tobacco companies’ ads are…exaggerated figures, lies and scare tactics.
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Sensational! Wonder if Abbott will understand it?
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very funny, love it
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Sorry, but this will have no effect whatsoever on getting people to quit smoking if thats even the aim.
In addition, you could make exactly the same ad, but exchange tobacco for booze, oil, fast food, motorcycles, tanning salons, red meat (according The Age a week or so ago this also causes cancer), plus a multitude of other entirely legal products – they all carry a risk of killing you in one way or another.
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Great ad!
In response to agency guy – actually no you couldn’t. Tobacco is the only legal product which if you consume as the manufacturer intended is likely to kill you. Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, murder, suicide and illegal drugs *combined* !
That’s reason enough to use every trick in the book to destroy this industry.
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I think agency guy they are designed to piss the tobacco industry off even more so they whip themselves into an even bigger frenzy and create even bigger PR disasters and ridiculous ad campaigns. They really are excelling at crazy lately.
I swear we’re only weeks away from a Big Tobacco exec taking hostages in either Bourke or Pitt Streets…
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It’s a funny ad that plays effectively on stereotypes.
Will it actually make a difference to smoking rates? That’s another question entirely!
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Agency Guy, the ad isn’t a “you should quit smoking” ad… it’s a “visit our website to learn more about plain packaging” ad.
Of course, with the opposition now supporting the legislation, the bang-for-your-buck is seriously affected…
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Actually AdGrunt, the ad is designed influence politicians and other key stakeholders to support plain packaging http://www.plainfacts.org.au But since Coalition announced today they would be supporting the bill, it is somewhat moot. A hoot nonetheless.
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Agency guy, your examples are stupid. EVERY cigarette does you harm . Not every instance of consumption of your examples does. By all means support the tobacco inductry but try to do it with some logical thought or you will look as silly as AdGunt.
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Would have been better if it was a subtle smirk rather than a burst of laughter
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Forget the politics of it, I just like the ‘product recall’ thought, could play out well in a lot of other ways. Pity it’s just a TV execution.
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What about agencies like Grey that have tobbaco companies as clients? …
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Brilliant. When our great grandchildren look back, they will only wonder at what the hell we were thinking.
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I agree with the plain packaging.
I am not a smoker but support the right of those who do smoke to do so.
Banning smoking is not the answer, but sensible measures such as the olive packaging are worth a try.
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