The Organisation for Respiratory Health in Finland have produced an advertisement highlighting the dangers of smoking, in a fun and engaging way. The advert was shown before movies in the cinema, and has gone on to win an advertising award.
The campaign messaging and visuals were targeted at heavy smokers. The organisation used humour to remind moviegoers of the dangers of smoking, with an advert featuring a talking ashtray.
Smoking can cause strange side-effects, as the ashtray tells us. In this comedy advert the Ashtray, that has swallowed smoke for all these years, finally decides to speak his mind.
Stand-up comedian Ilari Johansson took part in the advert, lending his voice as the talking ashtray.
Viewers voted the Talking Ashtray for the best movie advertisement 2015 in the national Finnkino movie theatres. Fourteen advertising films out of 300 advertisements was shortlisted as part of the competition and the winner was selected by viewers. The Talking Ashtray attracted 19 percent of the votes, showing how a health message when combined with humour can engage audiences and be effective.
You can watch the advert in full here