Top 10 Most Creative Anti-Smoking Ad Campaigns

It appears that some of the most creative and inventive advertising is coming from nonprofits these days.

This month, I will be taking a look at the nonprofits and "for a good cause" marketing techniques. Today, we turn to the the advertising campaigns being used to increase awareness about the bad effects of smoking.

How would you urge people to stop smoking?

Over the years, the anti-smoking movement has had terrific and inventive print and television ads. They are now broadening to some pretty creative guerilla marketing techniques. If you remember, in June, I showed one example of a great stop smoking direct mail campaign , but the anti smoking movement has taken it to great lengths to get their message heard

This is one used in gyms around the country.

This one is found outside in city streets.

They have even created and handed smelly strips (similar to those used when testing perfume). The sniff strip reads: "This is how you smell when you smoke. 4,000 toxic chemicals leave a stench no perfume can mask... just ask the people around you. Please stop smoking, You'll smell better instantly. Call 1-800-438-2000."

This ad uses real cigarettes at bus stops.

These ads were used on the public transportation.

This series of ads above and below show an anti smoking campaign illustrating various other warnings and then comparing it with the warning given on a cigarette pack. The advertisement aims to get people to understand the meaning of a warning. It is not a caution and something that will happen to everyone else. It is real, and people increasingly tend to ignore anti-smoking warnings.