jump to navigation

Anti-smoking ad released on 9/11 in UAE - thought-provoking idea, copywriting and art direction September 16, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Copywriting, Corporate Social Responsibility, PerceptGulf, Prashant Sankhe, Prashant Yeware, Shock Advertising, Sudeep John Koshy, Tobacco Advertising , 18 comments

Anti-smoking ads are never in short supply, but this one published in Khaleej Times on 9/11 this year really made an impact on me. I think it’s a thought-provoking idea, backed by great compelling copy that makes one think and an image that sends a shiver down one’s spine.

(more…)

Plagiarism in advertising: Copywriting legend Indra Sinha from the UK shares his views June 11, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Business Ethics, Copyright Permission, Copywriting, Corporate Social Responsibility, Ethics in Advertising, Indra Sinha, Journalism, Lack of creativity in advertising, Marketing, Plagiarism, Plagiarism in advertising, Tobacco Advertising , 18 comments

The discussion on plagiarism and copy-paste creativity in advertising continues with this post. Looks like my earlier post has struck a chord, with the kind of response I have received. Everyone has, at least once in their life, had their idea stolen, borrowed, killed only to be resurrected again with someone else’s name on it.

An interesting, almost ironic, thing happened right after I posted my content online. Zeid Nasser of MediaMe.com, a friend and fellow ad blogger in the region, re-posted my post, almost in its entirety, on his home page with a link back to my blog. (Thanks, Zeid.) The post has been titled ‘Plagiarism in the Middle East on the rise‘ which I have asked Zeid to reconsider since my post is about the ad industry not the Middle East. Interesting how far one post can go on the net, isn’t it?

I was also asked by a member of the Arabic media to comment on this issue. Good to know the interest generated by this theme. As I had written, plagiarism is a relevant issue that needs to be talked about. The post might have made some creative directors uncomfortable. Cool.

The most amazing part has been the mail sent in by Indra Sinha. He is a copywriting legend who needs no introduction. His work for Amnesty International and Metropolitan Police will have any ad lover mesmerised. I would even go so far as to say that Indra is what young copywriters may want to be when they grow up. And this is what Indra wrote to me that I would like to share with you:

(more…)

Do shock ads on cigarette packs work? A blogger’s view from Canada October 30, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Ethics in Advertising, Marketing, Shock Advertising, Tobacco Advertising , 9 comments

In Canada, cigarette packs feature vivid pictures of the after-effects of smoking. Rotten gums and cancerous internal organs. Really creepy pictures. Does this communication approach (shock and awe) work for smokers?

Following a comment on my post on tobacco advertising, I discovered an out-of-the-box analysis of the smoking problem on Ben and Heather’s blog from Canada. They feel that the reason why we don’t take the smoking issue seriously is because its effects aren’t immediate. Here’s what they write:

“In a world where people live with a buy now, pay later mentality (thank you Visa, Mastercard, AMEX), we are conditioned to act now and worry about the consequences of those actions later. We don’t invest in RRSPs for retirement for the same reason we don’t worry about smoking: The debt and the diseases won’t hit us until years later and by then it’s too late….What we need is something that will make us act now, without hesitation.”
- Ben and Heather of thecourtjester.wordpress.com

And what would that be? Why not visit Ben and Heather at The Court Jester and find out yourself - be warned though, it’s a crazy one!

farrukh

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

Tobacco Advertising: Will you do it? Or will you say ‘No’? October 16, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Corporate Social Responsibility, Ethics in Advertising, Marketing, Tobacco Advertising , 16 comments

An interesting post has been put up by Richard Abbott on the Campaign Middle East blog - we’re having The great tobacco debate there. I have provided a few reasons why publications should and do refuse to publish ads that encourage the fatal habit of smoking. Some of the most reputed publications in the world like The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, Business Week refuse tobacco advertising.

I am posting a few highlights here, in continuation of my blog posts on social responsibility. You are welcome to comment and share your insights.

What happens when we make and publish tobacco, cigarette and smoking ads?

Smoking kills more people than car accidents, alcohol, homicides, illegal drugs and suicides combined. The following is what we are doing when we create, design or publish ads promoting tobacco and smoking:

[Based on the Surgeon Genera's report 'Reducing the health consequences of smoking: 25 years of progress' USDHHS, 1989 as published on ASH's website]

Everyday, around 4,000 children try a cigarette and take their first step towards becoming nicotine addicts. They tend to start off with the most advertised brands.

Does controlling tobacco advertising help?

A study commissioned by the New Zealand government across 33 countries over 16 years from during 1970 to 1986 demonstrated that the higher the degree of governmental control on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, the larger the annual reduction of tobacco consumption.

Further on this point, UK Department of Health’s Chief Economic Adviser reported a drop in tobacco consumption of between 4% and 16% in countries that had implemented a tobacco advertising ban.

So, curbs on tobacco advertising do work and that is the reason why many countries have already put them in place and more are starting to do so. Perhaps UAE will follow suit too, knowing its passion for keeping up with the highest standards of living being followed across the world.

Useful Links:
1. CDC’s Tobacco Infomation & Prevention Source (TIPS): Home Page, Fact Sheets
2. GLOBALink’s Answers to Pro-tobacco Advertising Arguments
3. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH): Effects of Tobacco Advertising & Promotion
4. Smokefree.gov - Online Guide to Quitting Smoking and Useful Downloads
5. Office of the Surgeon General: Homepage, Toxic Substances in Smoke, Dangers of Secondhand Smoke
6. Tobacco.org’s Tobacco Timeline: 21st Century Tobacco History 

farrukh