Cancer Research UK campaign supports removal of tobacco brands

By Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Friday, 27 April 2012 12:35PM

Cancer Research UK has created a hard-hitting marketing campaign to highlight the impact of tobacco packaging on children, calling for all branding to be removed from packs.

Cancer Research UK: rolls out tobacco packaging campaign

The campaign, created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, shows a group of primary school children discussing what they find attractive about cigarette packets.

The children talk about the appealing quality of the images and colours and pictures, and why these elements would make them want to "play" with them.

It ends with the statement, "Unbranding cigarette packs wont stop everyone from smoking, but it will give millions of kids one less reason to start. Click to sign the petition at the answerisplain.org."

The campaign includes a YouTube video, which then calls for members of the public to sign a petition to ban branding on tobacco packaging, supported by a series of press ads.

The film coincides with Cancer Research's latest report that identifies young people and women as the key target groups for tobacco packaging.

It follows the announcement this month from health secretary Andrew Lansley that the Government wants tobacco companies to have "no business" in Britain.

The Government has since launched a consultation to discuss the effects of bringing in plain packaging regulations and whether it would drive down the appeal of tobacco.

Follow Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith on Twitter @LoullaMae_ES

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk