Comms Declare has launched a campaign with support from Doctors for the Environment, lobbying the Australian Government to stop new fossil fuel production, advertising and sponsorships.
‘Smoke Kills’ has been created by Silver Lining. A paid campaign from Alchemy One across out-of-home, social, and digital will direct people to smokekills.com.au to sign a petition to ban all new coal, oil, and gas projects and legislate national restrictions on the advertising and sponsorships of these products.
“Coal, oil and gas companies are threatening everything we value and love. The climate and health impacts of fossil fuels means they are fast becoming our most deadly advertised products. We’re proud to be bringing together such incredible agencies to be a voice for positive action and to clearly show that fossil fuels are worse than smoking, gambling and alcohol combined,” said Comms Declare founder Belinda Noble.
The site smokekills.com.au prompts visitors to download a new report from Doctors for the Environment highlighting that fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are a confirmed health hazard and currently cause more global deaths per year than smoking (8.1 million vs 7 million). Yet, the use and promotion of these products remain lawful.
“The Australian community has been lied to for decades, from the multi-billion dollar fossil fuel industry about the impacts their products have on our health, and this has to stop. We saw the reality of the impacts smoking has on health and came together as a country to make swift changes to take away the ability for tobacco companies to peddle lies so we could protect the community. Now is the time to show the same leadership and act on this next public health frontier on fossil fuels,” said Dr Kate Wylie, DEA executive director and GP.
Jonny Clow, Managing Director of Silver Lining said “It’s incredible to think that Australia was one of the most progressive countries worldwide regarding advertising regulations for tobacco. A voluntary tobacco advertising code for television was introduced first in 1966 followed by mandatory health warnings for radio and television tobacco advertisements in 1972. That’s over 50 years ago. Australia was the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging in 2012, so why do we think so differently about fossil fuel advertising? The imagery used on cigarette packets is burnt into our retinas. So we fully expect the campaign’s imagery, and simple message will illicit a simple and conclusive action”.
300 fossil fuel-themed ‘cigarette’ packets were distributed to MPs, journalists and media. The packets closely align with the plain tobacco packaging introduced in Australia in 2012 that contain health hazard warnings. Burning fossil fuels must be viewed in this same light considering their deadly health impacts.
Canberra Airport’s ‘The Capitals’ billboard has also been leveraged to support the campaign, alongside Street Fighter cyclists that will ride with mobile ads on the roundabouts surrounding Parliament House.
Credits:
Creative: Silver Lining (B Corp, Comms Declare member)
Media: Alchemy One (B Corp, Comms Declare member)
PR: The Bravery (Comms Declare member)
