exposing the poison in flavored tobacco

In Oklahoma, high schoolers smoke cigarettes (4.3%) and vape (21.8%) each at nearly triple the national averages. 4 out of 5 kids first started their nicotine or tobacco addiction by trying a flavored product, and the tobacco industry constantly pumps out new flavors to entice these young customers… to the tune of over 15,000 different flavors available on the market in 2023. This predatory approach to hooking teens is unacceptable, and it’s creating a new generation of addicted tobacco customers.

Our client, Tobacco Stops With Me, is dedicated to reducing the impacts of tobacco in Oklahoma. A central portion of the brand’s strategic messaging approach is to alleviate the influences of tobacco on the lives of teens in Oklahoma, so tackling the issue of flavored products’ influence on the lives of teens was a clear objective for the brand.

We knew that it would be important to create a visually compelling social video that could serve as a vehicle for statistics and education surrounding this issue, so we began crafting ideas for a portrayal of the dangers and deception of flavored products.

We decided to approach the message through a stop-motion concept, which would allow us to help audiences visualize the deceptive nature and hidden dangers behind flavored tobacco products. This project paired eerie visuals with damning statistics, calling viewers to recognize that flavored products are not OK, especially when they hook kids into addiction.

This video was created for social platforms, where it would meet Tobacco Stops With Me’s audience and allow for accessible opportunities for education. This tactic also prompted community engagement amongst Oklahomans and allowed the brand to reach the right Oklahomans at the right moment in time on their social platforms.

Although the video was set to run for just a week, we didn’t shy away from setting lofty KPIs. It was served to almost 40,000 Oklahomans, and earned a 33% view rate, exceeding its KPI of 30%. Additionally, it compelled 150 viewers to click through to learn more. Since the video was created and optimized with view rate in mind, the click conversions were an added bonus and testament to the video’s ability to drive viewers down the funnel.