US News | April 02, 2009 | 16 comments

Do new Anti-Smoking Ads go to far?

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30008941/

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ClipsFC
Television anti-smoking ads have gotten increasingly graphic, even gruesome, in the past seven years, but a new ad rolled out by the New York City Department of Health goes for the heartstrings even while detractors say it hits below the belt.

In the ad, a little boy is shown standing alone in a train station while separated from his mother. His look of puzzlement turns into abject fear as tears roll down his face. A voice-over then says, “This is how your child feels after losing you for a minute. Just imagine if they lost you for life.”

While the public service ad seeks to hit parental smokers where they live — with their children — questions are being raised about whether the ad goes too far in having a little boy, who some fear may not be acting, sob before the camera in an effort to get smokers off tobacco. But speaking to Matt Lauer live on TODAY Thursday, advertising agency owner and CNBC personality Donny Deutsch clapped his hands on seeing the ad and said, “Bravo.”

The controversial ad is part of a one-two punch New York City officials hope to deliver to hit a target goal of having 20,000 smokers kick the habit. Along with the ad, adapted by the NYC Health Department from one originally produced in Australia, a new 62-cents-a-pack federal tax has now pushed the price of cigarettes in the Big Apple upward of $10 a pack, hitting smokers squarely in the pocketbook.
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16 comments // Do new Anti-Smoking Ads go to far?

  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  

    • They should start advertising more often. The problem with Alcohol and some other "popular drugs" is that the organizations depend on contributions hence they do not have the advertising budget that big Tobacco gives the States in the settlement. MADD and even Anti-Drug organizations do not have the budget for large TV campaigns. They do however get public access time on most networks as set up by the FCC.

    • 4 years ago
  • Fanofsinatra
    • 0
      Fanofsinatra  

    • Oh there are plenty of sites such as MADD that have gruesome pictures that they could use for Anti-Alcohol ads. But you see, that's not the popular thing to do in the US. In Europe school kids actually have to watch movies about Drinking and Driving to educate them early on about the dangers of alcohol and driving. Not to speak of the amount of Domestic Abuse that Alcohol causes. In this country parents protested that it was to graphic but yet they think it's ok to watch the Cig. Ads that show rotting bodies and talk about death, dying and losing your family. That's ok for the minors. Unreal

    • 4 years ago
  • Cameleion1
    • 0
      Cameleion1  

    • This whole witch hunt on smokers has to stop. Start doing the same thing on National TV in Prime time with Alcohol. Start showing messy bloody car accidents during "Desperate Housewife's" or "Dancing with the Stars" .. then see what kind of reception you will get. Nobody speaks up for those that do smoke. Oh, and make the Alcohol and Beer manufacturers pay these multi-million dollar ad campaigns as we do with tobacco.

    • 4 years ago
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  

    • This morning the producers of the controversial commercial was on the Today Show. The agency is in Australia. The female producer told Matt Lauer .."The child did cry for real, but he is a very good actor (at 5) and his mother did disappear to make it more realistic.." .. so that makes it ok. She also claimed, we had Child Protective Services on the site to make sure that no laws are broken. So you just made a child terrified thinking his mom is gone .. and film that so you can sell it to the US .. yeah, there is nothing wrong with that

    • 4 years ago
  • Cameleion1
    • 0
      Cameleion1  
    • ClipsFC:

      I saw that interview, clearly Matt thought this agency went to far. NY Health Dept. also issued a statement that they are "investigating" the ad agency. What a bunch of ruthless bastards! Anything for a buck. Make the kid scared on purpose so he cries to make for a good commercial.

    • 4 years ago
  • Fanofsinatra
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  

    • Definately. It's just that smoking happens to be the latest witch hunt. The tobacco companies are paying for the ads so the organizations putting this material on TV have pretty much an unlimited amount of money to do campaigns. I don't think there is that much from other organizations for let's say Alcohol or other substances.

    • 4 years ago
  • numinant
  • Cameleion1
    • 0
      Cameleion1  
    • numinant:

      yes!! I agree. Why only Tobacco ? We know the statistics on Drinking and driving, so why not show some horrific accident commercials to get people to stop drinking and driving?

    • 4 years ago
  • Sexirobot
    • 0
      Sexirobot  

    • its all a waste of money, everyone knows smoking is harmful, if you still want to smoke go right ahead. after all we all pick our poisons.
      smoking, drugs, alcohol, big mac, suicide etc, I am for anything that clears up the free-way.

    • 4 years ago
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  
    • Sexirobot:

      Seems these ads have been running for years now yet there are smokers. I am sure some people will stop after seeing some of the graphic material, but many will return after trying to stop for a while. There is no amount of TV ads that will make you stop, you will need to want to stop.

    • 4 years ago
  • R7
    • 0
      R7  

    • i think thats great, sure its sad, and its maybe a little mean, but theres no point in beating around the bush, what it's saying is true.

    • 4 years ago
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  
    • R7:

      I think it's the way that campaign was made that upset so many people. We have more news on this issue this morning, I will try to post the news and video from the Today Show.

    • 4 years ago
  • hjonnsters
    • 0
      hjonnsters  

    • I think it's fu** up to show this during the day when kids are watching! I know they said on local news in NY that the State got so many complaints they told networks to cancel the ad for now. What is wrong with these people!? I guess they don't have kids.

    • 4 years ago
  • ClipsFC
    • 0
      ClipsFC  

    • The ad delivers a powerful message to smokers. I am not sure that children that may see this ad will fully understand the meaning of the message.

    • 4 years ago
  • hjonnsters
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