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Every smoker is aware of the damage their habit causes, both to them and those around them. However, to finally quit smoking, that extra push is usually needed. These anti-smoking ads find their niche, from books on quitting smoking to patches, chewing gums, and hypnosis.
From showing graphic images of the damage caused by smoking to appealing to the smokers' children - these advertisement examples have tried it all. But do these printed ads actually help people quit smoking? Even though the answer isn't a simple yes or no, multiple studies done in the last decade have shown that anti-smoking campaigns are still the most cost-effective way to at least deter new smokers from joining the club, especially when the people in question are the youth.
Here we bring you some of the best ads ever created. Hopefully, they can help you to make the first step - it will get easier after that.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Cemetery
RELATED:
#3
More Information
#4
Smoking Isn't Just Suicide. It's Murder
#5
Smoking Causes Premature Aging
#6
Poor Swimmers
#7
Secondhand Smoke Is Firsthand Death
#8
Download Cancer
#10
The Smoker's Lung
Jason Lapierre 9 years ago
People say : it's just a cigarrette... But with time it become hundreds, thousands
#11
Cigarettes Smoke People
#13
Second-Hand Smoking
#14
What We See When You Smoke
Eeva Kulmala 9 years ago
...yes I am twelve inside but that reminds me of something else entirely.
#15
Deathbed
#17
Ashes To Ashes
#18
Women Who Smoke Feed More Than Just Milk To Their Children
#19
Smoker And Passive Smoker
#21
Just Like Mommy
#22
Portable Gas Chamber
#24
Throat Cancer Will Leave You Speechless. Quit Smoking
#25
Choking His/Her Future
#26
Premature Ending: “If You Smoke, Statistically Your Story Will End 15% Before It Should.”
“THE END. If you smoke, statistically your story will end 15% before it should. For help with quiting call QUITTLINE on 0200 00 22 00”
CluelessLlama13 9 years ago
Umm... After looking too closely at this, I can say I'm quite certain these are two different books.
#29
Tips From Former Smokers
#30
Jumping Off Buildings Harms
Nicholas Hesser 9 years ago
The bottom text needs to be bigger, no smokers gonna stop in the middle of the road to read that.
#32
Smoking In Italy Kills 10 Times More People Than Road Accidents
#33
Worse Side
Catie Brandyberry 9 years ago
Lived with 1 smoker until I was 12, after that it was 2 smokers...
#35
Get To Heaven Earlier
#36
Glamorous Smoking And Its Effects
#37
Quit. Before It's Too Late
#38
Non-Smoking Area
Nicholas Gilbert 5 years ago
In the words of the great Bill Hicks, "I’m gonna tell you non-smokers something right now that I know for a fact you don’t know and I delight in telling my brothers things they don’t know, particularly when they’re true, which this is. Ready? Non-smokers. Ready? Drum-roll…Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… Non-smokers die every day."
#39
Antismoke Pack
Lena Walters 9 years ago
Sorry, but these are actually kinda cool. They probably wouldn't have the impact their going for.
#41
Smoking Is Being A Slave To Tobacco
#43
If You Light Up, You Die
#44
Anti-Smoking Matchook
#46
Second Hand Smoke
#47
No More Smoking In Restaurants
#48
More Sex, Less Cigarette
#49
Smoke Burns
#50
Cigarettes. Just Looking At Them Makes You Sick
#53
Third Hand Smoking
Linda Faulkner 8 years ago
should show the walls covered in a yellow film and someone trying to clean it off. Not easy.
#55
No Accident Kills More Than Smoking
#56
Smoking Is Harmful To Your Breath
#57
Pregnant Smokers Give Birth To Children Who Are Susceptible To Lung Diseases. Put Out The Fire
#59
You Don't Need Them, They Need You
FAKENAME FAKENAME 9 years ago
I would actually just buy the case cuz it looks cool, no smoke tho.
#60
Your Beauty. Up In Smoke
#61
Daddy Couldn't Give Me Pocket Money
FAKENAME FAKENAME 9 years ago
Dad, can I have a new video game? No son, you're addicted. But dad, you're addicted to smokes! Well it's different! Oh sorry I forgot that it's so important for you to get LUNG CANCER!!!
#62
The Right Choice
#64
A Car, Crushed By A 7-Foot Cigarette, Grabbed Attention For National Non-Smoking Week And The British Columbia Lung Association
#65
16,000 Teenagers Start Smoking Every Year In Sweden. A Lot Because Smoking Is Made To Look Cool By The Tobacco Industry
#66
Smoking Kills
#67
Tips From Former Smokers
#68
Second Hand Smoking
#70
Quick Or Slow?
#75
Smoking Burns Experiences
#77
Smoking Kills 14,000 People Every Day
#79
Your Lungs Are More Sensitive Then You Think. Stop Smoking
#82
Non-smoking Campaign
#83
Notes Are Not The Only Things Children Share In School Today
#85
Taking Risks Early In The Morning. Smoked As Soon As He Woke Up
#86
Can You Tell The Difference?
#87
One Thing Leads To Another
#88
When You Smoke,your Baby Smokes
Final score:
8points
#89
Passive Smoking: 5 A Day
#92
Get Your Life Back
#93
Smoking Risks The Most Valuable Things You Have
#98
I Want To Live Not To Die
FAKENAME FAKENAME 9 years ago
Remember the anti drug pencil? It says "it's not cool to do drugs" As you sharpen it says "Cool to do drugs" And then "Do drugs" Just replace do drugs with smoke cigarettes
#103
Chemicals
#105
In Britain Today, More Than 120,000 People Are Going To Die Over The Next Year From Illnesses Directly Related To Smoking
#106
The Average Smokers Lungs Can Soak Up To 2 Cups Of Tar A Year
#107
Carry On
#109
Your Food Stinks
FAKENAME FAKENAME 9 years ago
If you read this ad, you die younger. "You wouldn't ignore this warning. Why ignore the on cigarette packs?"
#111
Stop It
#112
Stop, Before It's Too Late
#115
The Real Cost
#117
Don't Let This "Little Boy" Create A Tragedy In Your Family
#119
Smoking Kills
Jasmina Wetherley 8 years ago
finally!! a heart instead of lungs because you can die from a cancer by smoking and it doesn't have to be your lungs
#122
Non-Smoking Pub
#127
Smoking Kills More
Hans 9 years ago
It truly is right that smoking surely kills more people than terrorists...by several magnitudes I guess. However, making personified comparisons makes the fate of those killed in terrorist attacks seem smaller. This is not right. And comparison to the millions of killed people from World War II is simply wrong. There are many good comparisons to make, but tbis one does more harm than good.
#129
Stop Smoking Now
#132
This Is My Rifle, This Is My Gun
Anti-smoking ads, much like Ogilvy's innovative approach to advertising, aim to create powerful impressions that can drive real change. By examining how Ogilvy's 'Portraits Completed' campaign cleverly stitches art with brand narratives, you might gain insights into effective advertising strategies.
Consider exploring their skillful blending of historical context and marketing to understand artful ad integration.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
iblowsheep 9 years ago
As a former smoker, i can say that none of these would have made one iota of difference except to give the people behind it a warm fuzzy activist feeling that they are making a difference.
Erin Gibbins 9 years ago
if it doesnt stop someone at least smoking around their kids then they are bad parents and i hope they got that message
Load More Replies...
Daria B 9 years ago
I don't smoke, but many people I love used to or still do, and I'm all against smoking. However, while these are all very creative, I felt like they're just attacking smokers with guilt, which has been a decades long technique that obviously doesn't work. It's because smoking is an ADDICTION. Smokers need help, and accusations won't do the job.
get in 9 years ago
Thanks Daria, finally someone that isn't attacking. Attacking or finger pointing just makes the smoker smoke another one.
Load More Replies...
Jen H 9 years ago
I used to smoke and let me tell you that none of these would have motivated me to quit. While I do agree that these are very creative, ultimately I was the one that had to motivate myself to do it for my health and the health of those around me. It took me a long time to finally quit (using the patch), but I did it 6-7 years ago. Now, the smell of cigarette smoke repulses me so much. I feel so bad now for exposing my family to it.
Tricia Anderson 9 years ago
I know exactly what you mean. It will be 4 years for me in April 2017. I took my mom out for lunch recently and we had to wait for a table. We decided to wait outside on some park benches in front of the restaurant. There was a couple on a bench across the sidewalk from us and they were smoking. The young woman was pregnant and they had a young daughter, about 4 or 5 years old standing between them. The smell of the smoke was making me cough and it took every bit of energy in me to not get on them for exposing their children, unborn and current.
Load More Replies...
Daniel Salvador 9 years ago
I am a smoker and this, like most said in the comments I've seen, does not affect me at all but I say this I'll completely stop smoking and gladly do it when factories and cars stop production bad gas for the earth and for humans. I'm concerned about second hand smoking especially with children so I always keep a distance while smoking and always hide my cigarettes from children and I think that smoking should not be allowed in public spaces except for certain locations that are proper for smokers.
PAPELERA DE RECICLAJE Y BASURA 4 years ago
I am agreed with you. You all need a special place to smoke...a coffin.
Load More Replies...
Joanne Palmer 9 years ago
As a smoker myself I con honestly say that these have little to no affect on me wanting to stop! But I do agree that people should NEVER smoke around their children or in a home or car with children (I have none myself)I don't even smoke in the room with my Cockateil as I know hw harmful it is to birds never mind a small child!
Amanda Lough 9 years ago
These ads did nothing for me. But the stories from the reformed smokers in these did a great deal. Thanks
Shinomi Chan 9 years ago
Oh boy these look so disgusting. I don't smoke, never had, never will. I honestly don't understand why people it. It smells awful, probably tastes awful, and sure as heck can not be good for my asthma either. My brother smokes though... quite a lot. I'm always worried of him when he goes to smoke almost ever half an hour...
Jerry Mathers 9 years ago
This is some silly stuff. Bear in mind the following: 1) Smoking is legal. Why? Follow the money. When things like asbestos, DDT, and lead in paint were found to be unhealthy, the use of such items was banned or regulated. You don't find too many new build homes with asbestos in the ceiling and lead paint on the walls. 2) Worried about second hand smoke? Unless you are living in a home where the smoker smokes inside, what you really should be thinking about is all the c**p put out by cars, factories, and the like. Remember lung cancer and emphysema were relatively rare in the 1800's. Plenty of people that have never been around cigarettes get lung cancer. 3) The risk for getting lung cancer while smoking is only around 15-20%. The real devil is emphysema, which approaches the 90+%. Of course none of this is really "sexy". Car guys and polluters don't want you thinking like that. And cancer is much scarier than emphysema unless you know someone that has it.
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
Several cities are already banning dirty vehicles. They could use the ticket money to subsidize clean vehicles.
Load More Replies...
Donna Wiersma 9 years ago
As a smoker, if you want to be effective and have me quit, tell me about the positive things like what happens to your hair and skin when you quit. Negativity is not going to work.
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
They'll age slower and you'll have more money, perhaps leading to an even more healthy lifestyle.
Load More Replies...
Alexis 9 years ago
This is so sad because when I was little I used to draw pictures of my mom and how big her heart was. I was going to give them to my dad. I didn't have any colored pencils so I colored the heart in with pencil. Then I thought to myself, "I shouldn't give this to Daddy becauseit might make him dad because Mommy's heart is black becuase she smokes." 😥😓😭
Linda Faulkner 8 years ago
The little child with smoke all around his face. My 4 year old grandson found out from his mom that smoking was a poison. He looked me right in the eyes and said "Nana stop smoking" That did it for me. I smoked for 53 years, and that was all it took for me to quit. I always smoked outside, never in the apartment with my grandchildren.
Glen DeGelnor 9 years ago
These pics would never get me to quit. I switched to a pipe to be easier. now smoke free for 40 years.
Konstantin Nanov 9 years ago
WOOOooooow So POWERFUL !!! It made me think while I had a smoke in my coffee break. It made me think how activism is worthless in the the 21 st century as it is represented by ignorant, gay loving, hippie like, socially excluded humanoids. And yes I am referring to most people who commented below !!!
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
Gay loving? Haven't you seen the "rubbish in your mouth" ad? Also, lesbian sex is hot.
Load More Replies... 
House of Fakir Chand 2 months ago
Thanks for creating such a refreshing and inspiring article. Bridal Indian Saree Designs
Mustafa Kocak 4 years ago
Great job, thank you. I want to use some of them in my instegram account
Chris Michael 4 years ago
Wholesale cigarette boxes provide you the best wholesale cigarette boxes, which will protect your customer as well as give it a perfect look.
Anton Shendryk 6 years ago
Government need to create assistive compaings as well as these ones.
Ishaan Davis ( Student ) 6 years ago
I agree that smoking is bad, but you can’t blame the smokers that are older that didn’t have the technology that we have to Day
Jasmina Wetherley 8 years ago
people ignore these ads and still choose to smoke. why can't they ban cigarettes?
Amanda Harker 8 years ago
My mother smoked when she was pregnate with me and you know what? I do not smoke and I never will. What is going to kill me is the family history of high cholestorl, which has caused early heart attacks on her side of the family...all that had heart attacks didn't smoke bar my mother.
Wesley Smith 8 years ago
Makes me wanna smoke more cause someone is trying to tell me what I should or shouldnt do.
Marie La Souris 8 years ago
The most used idea to stop women from smoking, is to convince them they'll be ugly if they smoke. I mean, it's not a bad idea, but, it concerns men too (yes, men can be pretty fab as well.) And also, smoking for BOTH gender damages the brain. Isn't that the most important ? I find this a bit stupid. Are men not caring about they way they look ? Are women not caring about something else than their appearance ?
Leslie Stryker 8 years ago
These were so funny, OMG, I laughed so hard. I think I'll go have a smoke now.
Hadi NourAllah 9 years ago
As a smoker I really enjoyed those ads. and I totally disagree when you smoking around people who don't like smoke or with your children. but how many people die from car accidents compared to smokeing??
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
35,092 traffic fatalities in 2015: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including nearly 42,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. This is about one in five deaths annually, or 1,300 deaths every day. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/
Load More Replies...
Dave Brown Jr 9 years ago
If smoking so bad for ya how come every pack comes with a silver lining. ... NEWSFLASH non smokers die everyday :)
Hans 9 years ago
While I understand that adds like these can be criticised, you cannot seriously deny smoking is extremely unhealthy? And yes, non-smokers die everyday, and many of them premature. And many smokers life healthy to an old age. On average however, these is no doubt about the consequences.
Load More Replies... iblowsheep 9 years ago
As a former smoker, i can say that none of these would have made one iota of difference except to give the people behind it a warm fuzzy activist feeling that they are making a difference.
Erin Gibbins 9 years ago
if it doesnt stop someone at least smoking around their kids then they are bad parents and i hope they got that message
Load More Replies... Daria B 9 years ago
I don't smoke, but many people I love used to or still do, and I'm all against smoking. However, while these are all very creative, I felt like they're just attacking smokers with guilt, which has been a decades long technique that obviously doesn't work. It's because smoking is an ADDICTION. Smokers need help, and accusations won't do the job.
get in 9 years ago
Thanks Daria, finally someone that isn't attacking. Attacking or finger pointing just makes the smoker smoke another one.
Load More Replies... Jen H 9 years ago
I used to smoke and let me tell you that none of these would have motivated me to quit. While I do agree that these are very creative, ultimately I was the one that had to motivate myself to do it for my health and the health of those around me. It took me a long time to finally quit (using the patch), but I did it 6-7 years ago. Now, the smell of cigarette smoke repulses me so much. I feel so bad now for exposing my family to it.
Tricia Anderson 9 years ago
I know exactly what you mean. It will be 4 years for me in April 2017. I took my mom out for lunch recently and we had to wait for a table. We decided to wait outside on some park benches in front of the restaurant. There was a couple on a bench across the sidewalk from us and they were smoking. The young woman was pregnant and they had a young daughter, about 4 or 5 years old standing between them. The smell of the smoke was making me cough and it took every bit of energy in me to not get on them for exposing their children, unborn and current.
Load More Replies... Daniel Salvador 9 years ago
I am a smoker and this, like most said in the comments I've seen, does not affect me at all but I say this I'll completely stop smoking and gladly do it when factories and cars stop production bad gas for the earth and for humans. I'm concerned about second hand smoking especially with children so I always keep a distance while smoking and always hide my cigarettes from children and I think that smoking should not be allowed in public spaces except for certain locations that are proper for smokers.
PAPELERA DE RECICLAJE Y BASURA 4 years ago
I am agreed with you. You all need a special place to smoke...a coffin.
Load More Replies... Joanne Palmer 9 years ago
As a smoker myself I con honestly say that these have little to no affect on me wanting to stop! But I do agree that people should NEVER smoke around their children or in a home or car with children (I have none myself)I don't even smoke in the room with my Cockateil as I know hw harmful it is to birds never mind a small child!
Amanda Lough 9 years ago
These ads did nothing for me. But the stories from the reformed smokers in these did a great deal. Thanks
Shinomi Chan 9 years ago
Oh boy these look so disgusting. I don't smoke, never had, never will. I honestly don't understand why people it. It smells awful, probably tastes awful, and sure as heck can not be good for my asthma either. My brother smokes though... quite a lot. I'm always worried of him when he goes to smoke almost ever half an hour...
Jerry Mathers 9 years ago
This is some silly stuff. Bear in mind the following: 1) Smoking is legal. Why? Follow the money. When things like asbestos, DDT, and lead in paint were found to be unhealthy, the use of such items was banned or regulated. You don't find too many new build homes with asbestos in the ceiling and lead paint on the walls. 2) Worried about second hand smoke? Unless you are living in a home where the smoker smokes inside, what you really should be thinking about is all the c**p put out by cars, factories, and the like. Remember lung cancer and emphysema were relatively rare in the 1800's. Plenty of people that have never been around cigarettes get lung cancer. 3) The risk for getting lung cancer while smoking is only around 15-20%. The real devil is emphysema, which approaches the 90+%. Of course none of this is really "sexy". Car guys and polluters don't want you thinking like that. And cancer is much scarier than emphysema unless you know someone that has it.
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
Several cities are already banning dirty vehicles. They could use the ticket money to subsidize clean vehicles.
Load More Replies... Donna Wiersma 9 years ago
As a smoker, if you want to be effective and have me quit, tell me about the positive things like what happens to your hair and skin when you quit. Negativity is not going to work.
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
They'll age slower and you'll have more money, perhaps leading to an even more healthy lifestyle.
Load More Replies... Alexis 9 years ago
This is so sad because when I was little I used to draw pictures of my mom and how big her heart was. I was going to give them to my dad. I didn't have any colored pencils so I colored the heart in with pencil. Then I thought to myself, "I shouldn't give this to Daddy becauseit might make him dad because Mommy's heart is black becuase she smokes." 😥😓😭
Linda Faulkner 8 years ago
The little child with smoke all around his face. My 4 year old grandson found out from his mom that smoking was a poison. He looked me right in the eyes and said "Nana stop smoking" That did it for me. I smoked for 53 years, and that was all it took for me to quit. I always smoked outside, never in the apartment with my grandchildren.
Glen DeGelnor 9 years ago
These pics would never get me to quit. I switched to a pipe to be easier. now smoke free for 40 years.
Konstantin Nanov 9 years ago
WOOOooooow So POWERFUL !!! It made me think while I had a smoke in my coffee break. It made me think how activism is worthless in the the 21 st century as it is represented by ignorant, gay loving, hippie like, socially excluded humanoids. And yes I am referring to most people who commented below !!!
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
Gay loving? Haven't you seen the "rubbish in your mouth" ad? Also, lesbian sex is hot.
Load More Replies... House of Fakir Chand 2 months ago
Thanks for creating such a refreshing and inspiring article. Bridal Indian Saree Designs
Mustafa Kocak 4 years ago
Great job, thank you. I want to use some of them in my instegram account
Chris Michael 4 years ago
Wholesale cigarette boxes provide you the best wholesale cigarette boxes, which will protect your customer as well as give it a perfect look.
Anton Shendryk 6 years ago
Government need to create assistive compaings as well as these ones.
Ishaan Davis ( Student ) 6 years ago
I agree that smoking is bad, but you can’t blame the smokers that are older that didn’t have the technology that we have to Day
Jasmina Wetherley 8 years ago
people ignore these ads and still choose to smoke. why can't they ban cigarettes?
Amanda Harker 8 years ago
My mother smoked when she was pregnate with me and you know what? I do not smoke and I never will. What is going to kill me is the family history of high cholestorl, which has caused early heart attacks on her side of the family...all that had heart attacks didn't smoke bar my mother.
Wesley Smith 8 years ago
Makes me wanna smoke more cause someone is trying to tell me what I should or shouldnt do.
Marie La Souris 8 years ago
The most used idea to stop women from smoking, is to convince them they'll be ugly if they smoke. I mean, it's not a bad idea, but, it concerns men too (yes, men can be pretty fab as well.) And also, smoking for BOTH gender damages the brain. Isn't that the most important ? I find this a bit stupid. Are men not caring about they way they look ? Are women not caring about something else than their appearance ?
Leslie Stryker 8 years ago
These were so funny, OMG, I laughed so hard. I think I'll go have a smoke now.
Hadi NourAllah 9 years ago
As a smoker I really enjoyed those ads. and I totally disagree when you smoking around people who don't like smoke or with your children. but how many people die from car accidents compared to smokeing??
Cees Timmerman 9 years ago
35,092 traffic fatalities in 2015: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including nearly 42,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. This is about one in five deaths annually, or 1,300 deaths every day. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/
Load More Replies... Dave Brown Jr 9 years ago
If smoking so bad for ya how come every pack comes with a silver lining. ... NEWSFLASH non smokers die everyday :)
Hans 9 years ago
While I understand that adds like these can be criticised, you cannot seriously deny smoking is extremely unhealthy? And yes, non-smokers die everyday, and many of them premature. And many smokers life healthy to an old age. On average however, these is no doubt about the consequences.
Load More Replies...
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