DoH launches hard-hitting anti-smoking ad

The Department of Health is launching a hard-hitting TV ad that highlights children’s fears about their parents dying from smoking. It aims to motivate parents to give up smoking with NHS support.

The ad, which breaks tonight (October 31), shows a darkened child’s bedroom with a young girl’s voice saying: “I’m not scared of the dark”. It then cuts to a crawling spider and a clown, and the voice adds: “I’m not scared of spiders” and “I am not scared of clowns”.

It ends with a group of young mums chatting and smoking, with the little girl saying, “I am scared of my mum smoking”. As one of the mothers smiles at the camera, she says: “I’m scared my mum will die”.

The campaign, which has been created by Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy, will be shown during the early evening when parents are watching with their children. It is hoped that it will encourage parents to give up, and will promote NHS Stop Smoking Services. It is being supported by a PR campaign through Blue Rubicon.

Jen Anderson, a local NHS Stop Smoking adviser for Newcastle and North Tyneside, says: “I speak to a lot of parents who know that their smoking has a negative impact on their children, not just through second-hand smoke, but because their kids are scared for their mum or dad’s health.”