This ad tells teenagers: keep smoking and you'll have no friends

Obsessed with smoking and self-photoshopping

During the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) in the U.S. on August 28, an advertisement appeared in the form of a cute rap video. This time, it was a critique of teenagers who love to smoke.

The ad describes three young people who spend their savings on smoking, leaving them to—

stay at home with their grandpa, lounging around.

Photoshopping their ideal lives.

Climbing trees to sneak a peek at concerts, pretending to be carefree.

This rap video was launched by the American Legacy Foundation, a smoking cessation nonprofit organization, as part of their "Truth" campaign. The exaggerated scenarios in the ad are not just alarmist. Research shows that teenagers who smoke typically have lower educational levels and, upon entering society, earn 20% less than non-smokers. Lower income means they struggle to afford outings with peers, gradually leading to social isolation.

To capture the attention of teenagers, Truth's ads always use some trendy elements as themes and present them in an aggressive logical manner. For instance, earlier this year, during the Grammy Awards broadcast, Truth released a video ad stating, "Secondhand smoke will kill cute kittens at double speed," directly targeting young people's irresistible affection for adorable cats.

This rap advertisement is a collaboration between Truth and one of the popular advertising agencies on the U.S. West Coast, 72andSunny, aiming to tap into the anxiety young people feel about being abandoned by friends and groups. This anxiety has a specific term called "FOMO" (fear of missing out). In the age of social media, this anxiety becomes more pronounced; imagine seeing friends posting about food and parties while you are stuck at home—that feeling of abandonment is terrible.

To enhance the reach of this campaign, Truth has included both YouTube and Instagram as promotional channels. Additionally, Twitter is even designing new emoji expressions for Truth.

Through long-term creative advertising efforts to encourage young people to quit smoking, the American Legacy Foundation has indeed achieved significant results. According to statistics, the smoking rate among teenagers has dropped from 23% in 2000 to 9% in 2014, and now stands at 7%. "We hope to be the 'terminators' of this era; clearly, young people care about their future income and their social interactions with friends," said Koval, the head of Truth. "They also care about social equity and the environment, so you will see more ads from us on these themes in the future."#p#分页标题#e#