"Dead Guinea Pig" Ad Targets Low-Toxin Cigarettes December 21, 2001
News Summary
A new advertising and public-awareness campaign is being launched in Indiana to oppose the new low-toxin cigarette being test marketed by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. (B&W), Ad Age reported Dec. 18.Part of the campaign is an anti-smoking ad that features a dead guinea pig. In the ad, the pig is on its back with its paws in the air and a cigarette next to its mouth. The ad reads, "Indianapolis chosen as guinea pig to test new cigarette. But we all know toxins are poisons. POISONS. And a little less poison won't leave you any less dead."
The Indiana Youth Tobacco Board and Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation are conducting the campaign to show their opposition to B&W using the Indianapolis area as a test market of its new, low-toxin cigarette called Advance.
The two groups also planned to invite B&W representatives to a Youth Tobacco Board meeting to discuss the issue, but the company declined the invitation.
"We don't meet with teenagers," a B&W spokesman said. "Our manager of youth-smoking prevention sent them a letter explaining that cigarettes are a product for adults, and we don't think we should be meeting with teenagers to discuss marketing and advertising of cigarette products. We offered to meet with adult members of their organization and have an open dialog."
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