This new campaign, launched by the French government, was inspired by the highly successful campaign of the American anti-tobacco group The Truth, whose on-air antics have included lining the doorsteps of tobacco companies with long trails of body bags. The French ads represent a paradigm shift for anti-tobacco ads in the traditionally smoke-loving nation. Previous campaigns were well conceived and humorous, claims French media analyst Claude Dognin, but he believes this one will leave a deeper impact. “The smokers were really frightened this time,” he says. Although the shock value dissipated after the ad’s first airing, the second phase ran through July 7 and drew an additional 150,000 people to the help lines. France has the highest rate of young smokers in Europe, and a recent price drop nationally by four major tobacco companies will only exacerbate the problem. “First, the government runs a campaign warning of the dangers of smoking, but then, smoking is encouraged by price cuts,” one bemused tobacco dealer told Le Monde. “It’s illogical.”
