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The brief

Coal, oil and gas companies are threatening everything we value and love. The climate and health impacts of fossil fuels mean they are fast becoming our most deadly advertised products.

Doctors for the Environment and Comms Declare combined forces to lobby politicians, and by default, Australia-wide, that fossil fuels are a health hazard. Fossil fuels cause dangerous air pollution, which is responsible for a staggering 8 million deaths per year across the globe. This is more than the annual global deaths from smoking.

Concept

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 burned into our retinas.

So, the same mandatory government messaging was used within integrated communications and on the cigarette packaging, with fossil fuels substituted for smoking-related imagery.

Execution

Comms Declare 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, with a paid campaign from Alchemy One across out-of-home, social and digital, directing people to smokekills 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.

The site 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.

300 fossil fuel-themed ‘cigarette’ packets were distributed to MPs, journalists and media. The cigarette packets featured recognisable fear-inducing imagery and government warnings to provoke a response from political allies and opposing media sources. Burning fossil fuels must be viewed in this same light, considering their deadly health impacts.

Canberra Airport’s ‘The Capitals’ billboard was leveraged to support the campaign, alongside Street Fighter cyclists who rode with mobile ads on the roundabouts surrounding Parliament House.

On August 15th 2024, Doctors from across Australia delivered the alarming new report, Fossil Fuels are a Health Hazard. The report was launched by the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, and was attended by over 50 MPs and journalists.

Results

Coverage obtained.

ABC News TV
Sky News Australia
ABC Online
AdNews
B&T
Mumbrella
Mi3

The campaign reached over three-quarters (77%) of the Canberra audience with a total of 1.5M impressions.

Additionally, delivered 1.6M impressions in the federal seats of key government ministers.

This resulted in 1,600 petition signatures.

Cigarette packaging, cards and pencils were 100% recyclable. The media selection was 95% digital, whilst electric trucks and cyclists delivered mobile advertising.