Iconic Ads: CPAA – Be Nice to Smokers, they die faster
This was primarily targeted at youngsters who thought they were too young to die and cancer happens only to older folks.
In early 2000, the Cancer Society (CPAA) approached Piyush Pandey to create a campaign for cancer prevention, specifically anti-smoking. Piyush had lost his sister earlier to cancer when he was asked for help. He readily agreed even though the CPAA did not have the budget.
Earlier, Sonal Dabral (who was based in Malaysia then) was going in a car with a person and wanted to light up. The person told him that Sonal would pollute his car and rolled down the windows. Sonal being Sonal ruminated over it. He thought this could be a fresh look at anti-smoking – one should be nice to people who smoke as they die faster.
Unfortunately, he could not run this idea in Malaysia as they had a cigarette brand.
He called Piyush. Piyush liked it and used it.
This was primarily targeted at youngsters who thought they were too young to die and cancer happens only to older folks.
This campaign was done practically free. Ogilvy; Prasoon Pandey, Srila Chatterjee & Mahesh Mathai at Highlight Films; media channels like MTV – all did it free.
