A Grave View!

I just love this poster ad, shown here posted on the ceiling of a smoking room with young smokers looking up to it. Titled ‘Cemetery’ the poster is part of an anti-smoking campaign by the Cancer Partients Aid Association. The ad was created by Everest Brand Solutions (previously Everest Integrated Communications) of Mumbai, India and won a Bronze Award at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival 2006. This agency is one of the most “Creative” agencies in India. The agency defines creativity as that which gets the client the highest impact at the lowest cost. There's lots of creativity in this anti-cancer ad!

As shown in the image, these life-sized posters depict the faces of solemn men and women staring down as though looking into a freshly-dug grave. Apparently they are posted on the ceilings of hotel lobbies, waiting areas of buildings, the landings of staircases and other areas where people tend to smoke. When the smokers look up they would feel as though they were inside a grave with people looking down on them as if they had died.......driving home the message that smoking kills. It doesn't really get more subtle than that. I'm sure you'll agree that it makes a hell of a statement. It’s a powerful message delivered in the most simple of ways.

For more anti-smoking ads, see "Collection of Anti-Smoking TV Ads".