InventorSpot

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.

The advertisements show several circumstances when ignoring the warning could lead a person to death. The basic text of the campaign reads, ‘you wouldn’t ignore this warning. Why ignore them on cigarette packs?’. (adpunch.org )

Literally everywhere you go, you see this campaign. They can be seen in small towns around the world.

Or this one from the Cancer Patient Aid Association was put on the roofs of outdoor smoking areas.

This last one is from an anti-smoking promotion for ‘World No Tobacco Day’ (May 31), and it can be found at coffee shops in Dubai, where people come to smoke!

Do you think these ads are effective? Would they have captured your attention? Would any of them have caused you to think twice about smoking?

Stay posted the rest of this week for other intertesting and entertaining nonprofit marketing campaigns.

Amy Gifford
Featured Blogger
inventorspot.com