truth "It's a Trap" (2015) 1:00 (USA)

72andsunny teaches us that social smoking is still smoking.

They also teach us that pandering to an audience with Youtube influencers like (Rachel Levin, Ryan Higa, Christian DelGrosso, Jerry Purpdrank etc., doesn't make for a great ad if the idea behind the ad is weak.

I have never seen an anti-smoking PSA so neutered before. It's like it's going out of its way not to provoke. I can hear the strategist now:

"Yes smoking causes cancer and can kill you and not in a pleasant way, but we can't say that any more because there are certain triggers we want to avoid, lest Generation Tumblr write a blog post about how they feel violated by hearing an unwanted message. So let's just remind them that smoking in front of people is the same thing as smoking in a room by themselves. Yeah, I know it has nothing to do with smoking being harmful to your health but it'll be nice and inoffensive and we won't end up on a blocklist."

*slow clap*

Client: Truth
Agency: 72andsunny
Music:
“Flies” by Zeds Dead & LOUDPVCK
“Chido” by Noy & Jordan James

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Jason Fox's picture

I read the italicized bit first and couldn't tell it wasn't from a planner. Hold me.

Dabitch's picture

Dank old memes are dank old memes even when dressed up as hip truth campaign. Remember what Bill said? "We forget we can mold it". I wish we'd stop regurgitating the web already, and make something the web wants to copy. I know that shit is hard, yo.

kidsleepy's picture

I think it's harder to make a turd look like a diamond than to come up with something new, but that could just be me.

Dabitch's picture

I meant it's harder to sell. Clients have no ability to envision things that don't have 57 photograph/gif/film references in a deck these days.

Helene's picture

Actress Cheyenne Haynes is in the beginning of this in the pink glasses

Tom Megginson's picture

Will the target audience even remember most of those memes? They feel 'not so fresh.'

kidsleepy's picture

Not only won't they remember most of them, but they'll walk away with a tepid message.

Dabitch's picture

They can't handle the dank memes.

Dabitch's picture

I'm really fed up with "lets do internet memes the kids are gonna like it" strategy, tbh.

claymore's picture

I still believe the Truth campaign's real goal is to annoy kids into smoking.

Dabitch's picture

If actress Cheyenne Haynes' fan Helen posts her instagram link here one more time, I might just start smoking again.