If I never see that messed up add with the girl tearing a chunk of her face of again… well it won’t matter because the image is burnt into my mind for the rest of my life.
That one didn’t bother me as much as the other one with the guy ripping his own teeth out. Probably because it looked more realistic. I can’t even think about it without clamping my mouth shut.
You guys put it on TV, in my country our govt got the bright idea to put real gore photos of dead bodies with exposed lungs or throat on EVERY.CIGARETTE.PACKS with the warning “Smoking will kill you.”
I know my countrymen are tougher mentally, but it’s still an idiotic idea to put those photos where children can see them (since those packs are displayed behind the cashier’s counters. Means every children can see gory pics all the time when they go out and buy something in convenience stores).
Thanks a lot Ministry of Health, you bunch of morons.
we have plain packaging (sort of an olivegrey drab) with gory pictures on, and they must be kept behind shutters in the shop and not on display.
Which, combined with the outrageous pricing (over $20 for a packet of 20 cigarettes) , have all combined to reduce smoking rates. And that’s a good thing.
I think our anti-smoking ads are not as graphic as the ones you mention. Mostly it shows people with cancers and emphysema regretting their choices. Not that gory.
I don’t watch much TV, so I didn’t notice them until a few days ago when one of the online flash games sites started putting them before the games. So now I know that, in order to buy menthol cigarettes, you are now required to pull out your teeth with pliers.
Honestly, that’s got to be a new thing, because I worked in a convenience store about ten years back, and we didn’t do dental extractions with cigarette purchases back then.
I use my clock-radio as an alarm and lately I’ve been waking up to the sound of a woman with (I’m guessing) throat cancer telling everyone to record themselves singing a lullaby or reading a book so grandkids can hear their real voice. Then she sings a full verse of Wheels on the Bus, complete with gasping inhalations between lines, sounding like death itself. This is right around the time that kids are on their way to school, on a station that lots of families listen to with their kids.
If you went back in time to 1962 when they were debating about putting warning labels on cigarettes and told them all the things that the anti-smoking campaign would lead to by 2014, do think anyone would believe you?
“Cigarette smoking will be outlawed in public space government and private! People will loose their children in divorce cases solely because they smoke! People will be changed with child endangerment for smoking in a car. In workplaces, smokers will have to huddle outside in the alley regardless of the weather, and oh yeah, anti-cigarette adds will feature images of people ripping off body parts in full bloody gore!”
They’d think you were some kind of hysteric. Kinda makes you wonder what future holds doesn’t it?
Honestly, they’d do more good taking all those tens of millions we blow on anit-smoking campaigns and instead by e-cigs for everyone who can’t afford one on their own. That would cut out 90% of the health danger in one blow. I’ve bought them for several of the “underprivileged youth” we help out and its big a big improvement for them.
Although, I suspect the anti-smoking campaigns have more to do with creating pretext for raising vice taxes and suing tobacco companies than stopping smoking.
But, having said that, I will take the gory cigarette ads over the abused puppies and starving children ads in middle of a Comedy.
“People will loose their children in divorce cases solely because they smoke! ”
Seriously ? what the heck ?! It’s borderline insane… I get that passive smoking is more dangerous, but come on, now, if you believe it’s such a danger for the kid, order to the parent that they stop…
They don’t just use disturbing imagery for smoking PSAs, as you will see. The one I remember from my childhood was the one about the dangers of huffing that compared the brain damage caused by huffing with the brain damage caused by drowning, and illustrated the point by showing a girl being drowned in her own bedroom. That one gave me nightmares about being trapped in a flooded house.
Panel 3 is how I felt the other day. Good god I don’t want to see that right after Paw Patrol with my daughter. Yuck!
Oklahoma did their own campaign with Oklahomans with asthma, cancer, or who were on oxygen (especially if they’re of native decent) telling their story of how they can’t pass on traditions to their kids because after smoke their doc said their dancing could kill them, and at the end you find out most of them died shortly after they recorded. Idk if it’s worked, the average age smokers here start is like 12. I’ve seen these gruesome ads too, they’re messed up.
Here’s an idea: most people smoke because it makes them “feel less stressed”, so let’s get them hooked on pot instead!
I didn’t experience the American PSAs on smoking, being Polish and all, but this reminded me of my buddy commenting on them:
“[…] I mean, I grew up seeing ads on TV that were basically that kinda image [bloody exposed lung on a pack of cigs] telling me how smoking kills you slowly and painfully. AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE SHOW ABOUT THE CUTE TALKING BABIES AFTER YOU CRY LIKE ONE TO YOUR MOMMY AFTER WHAT YOU JUST SAW”
If I never see that messed up add with the girl tearing a chunk of her face of again… well it won’t matter because the image is burnt into my mind for the rest of my life.
That one didn’t bother me as much as the other one with the guy ripping his own teeth out. Probably because it looked more realistic. I can’t even think about it without clamping my mouth shut.
I hope we get to see more of Cronenbug!
I vote that Adam change the David Cronenberg bug name into David Cronenbug!
Second
My mind just auto-supplied the mental .gif of a man giving a chainsaw a lapdance. Thanks man, needed that.
… maybe he wouldn’t be so nauseous if he wasn’t handling all that bug powder …
You guys put it on TV, in my country our govt got the bright idea to put real gore photos of dead bodies with exposed lungs or throat on EVERY.CIGARETTE.PACKS with the warning “Smoking will kill you.”
I know my countrymen are tougher mentally, but it’s still an idiotic idea to put those photos where children can see them (since those packs are displayed behind the cashier’s counters. Means every children can see gory pics all the time when they go out and buy something in convenience stores).
Thanks a lot Ministry of Health, you bunch of morons.
They have those here in Canada, too. Not sure about the U.S., though.
we have plain packaging (sort of an olivegrey drab) with gory pictures on, and they must be kept behind shutters in the shop and not on display.
Which, combined with the outrageous pricing (over $20 for a packet of 20 cigarettes) , have all combined to reduce smoking rates. And that’s a good thing.
I think our anti-smoking ads are not as graphic as the ones you mention. Mostly it shows people with cancers and emphysema regretting their choices. Not that gory.
I like in panel 2 how his eye is apparently falling completely out of his head…nice visual.
P.S. Don’t smoke. Got it!
That little Spongebob girl is adorable, and sums up my childhood.
Wow, I’ve been missing some graphic stuff! Thank goodness for DVR and fast-forward!
Right you are Deen. I totally missed all the political ads this fall as well.
I don’t watch much TV, so I didn’t notice them until a few days ago when one of the online flash games sites started putting them before the games. So now I know that, in order to buy menthol cigarettes, you are now required to pull out your teeth with pliers.
Honestly, that’s got to be a new thing, because I worked in a convenience store about ten years back, and we didn’t do dental extractions with cigarette purchases back then.
I use my clock-radio as an alarm and lately I’ve been waking up to the sound of a woman with (I’m guessing) throat cancer telling everyone to record themselves singing a lullaby or reading a book so grandkids can hear their real voice. Then she sings a full verse of Wheels on the Bus, complete with gasping inhalations between lines, sounding like death itself. This is right around the time that kids are on their way to school, on a station that lots of families listen to with their kids.
That looks more like a pack of french fries than a pack of cigarettes.
Bugwump is awesome.
Thanks! I was nervous about drawing that guy.
If you went back in time to 1962 when they were debating about putting warning labels on cigarettes and told them all the things that the anti-smoking campaign would lead to by 2014, do think anyone would believe you?
“Cigarette smoking will be outlawed in public space government and private! People will loose their children in divorce cases solely because they smoke! People will be changed with child endangerment for smoking in a car. In workplaces, smokers will have to huddle outside in the alley regardless of the weather, and oh yeah, anti-cigarette adds will feature images of people ripping off body parts in full bloody gore!”
They’d think you were some kind of hysteric. Kinda makes you wonder what future holds doesn’t it?
Honestly, they’d do more good taking all those tens of millions we blow on anit-smoking campaigns and instead by e-cigs for everyone who can’t afford one on their own. That would cut out 90% of the health danger in one blow. I’ve bought them for several of the “underprivileged youth” we help out and its big a big improvement for them.
Although, I suspect the anti-smoking campaigns have more to do with creating pretext for raising vice taxes and suing tobacco companies than stopping smoking.
But, having said that, I will take the gory cigarette ads over the abused puppies and starving children ads in middle of a Comedy.
“People will loose their children in divorce cases solely because they smoke! ”
Seriously ? what the heck ?! It’s borderline insane… I get that passive smoking is more dangerous, but come on, now, if you believe it’s such a danger for the kid, order to the parent that they stop…
Don’t feel like sleeping tonight? Check out the TVTropes page of scary PSAs!
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/NightmareFuel/PublicServiceAnnouncement
They don’t just use disturbing imagery for smoking PSAs, as you will see. The one I remember from my childhood was the one about the dangers of huffing that compared the brain damage caused by huffing with the brain damage caused by drowning, and illustrated the point by showing a girl being drowned in her own bedroom. That one gave me nightmares about being trapped in a flooded house.
Nuh-uh! I’m not clicking that link and being sucked into the maelstrom. If I do, you’re going to owe me my weekend back!
Panel 3 is how I felt the other day. Good god I don’t want to see that right after Paw Patrol with my daughter. Yuck!
Oklahoma did their own campaign with Oklahomans with asthma, cancer, or who were on oxygen (especially if they’re of native decent) telling their story of how they can’t pass on traditions to their kids because after smoke their doc said their dancing could kill them, and at the end you find out most of them died shortly after they recorded. Idk if it’s worked, the average age smokers here start is like 12. I’ve seen these gruesome ads too, they’re messed up.
Here’s an idea: most people smoke because it makes them “feel less stressed”, so let’s get them hooked on pot instead!
4 day work weeks would help, too.
I’ve been semi retired for medical reasons for a year now and I’ve quit smoking, voluntarily.
Synchronicity: From someone I know today:
“Last night’s fevered dreams apparently had me talking in my sleep about something called the Cronenburger. I’m not sure I’d ever want to eat that.”
I didn’t experience the American PSAs on smoking, being Polish and all, but this reminded me of my buddy commenting on them:
“[…] I mean, I grew up seeing ads on TV that were basically that kinda image [bloody exposed lung on a pack of cigs] telling me how smoking kills you slowly and painfully. AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE SHOW ABOUT THE CUTE TALKING BABIES AFTER YOU CRY LIKE ONE TO YOUR MOMMY AFTER WHAT YOU JUST SAW”
There should be ratings for PSAs.