Giving fire to reason
On behalf of B.A.T. Germany, Lesch+Frei appeals to smokers' common sense
Lesch+Frei appeals to smokers' common sense for B.A.T. GermanyBy Ernst Weber British American Tobacco (B.A.T.) Germany relied on Zurich-based advertising agency Lesch+Frei to create its latest opinion campaign. The German offshoot of the Hamburg-based tobacco giant currently holds around 15 percent of the market with brands such as Lucky Strike, HB, Pall Mall, Lord Extra, Dunhill and Gauloises Blondes.
Shaping opinion through advertising has a long tradition at B.A.T. Germany: Until about ten years ago, the company cultivated a public discussion about criticisms of smoking. "In Praise of Tobacco" was the name of the campaign back then.
An advertising relaunch, which took place at the end of 1997, was already no longer exclusively full of praise, but also contained the current educational slogan "Every cigarette you don't consciously enjoy is one too many". Under the slogan "Our opinion on smoking has remained unchanged for 20 years," this campaign featured subjects from the old appearance.
"The new advertising, sensitively conceived by Lesch+Frei Zurich, captures in motifs the opinion that British American Tobacco Germany has today about cigarettes as a product," says Rainer Stubenvoll, press spokesman for B.A.T. Germany. The campaign doesn't pretend to be clueless about the harmful effects of smoking on health, but instead faces up to the onslaught of criticism by having the ads advocate "moderate smoking."
The pollutants filtered from the criticism
The subjects deal with the not always relaxed relationship between smokers and non-smokers, position cigarette smoking as a legal means of enjoyment for adults with due regard for the protection of minors, and deal with the "sword of Damocles" advertising ban.
In terms of the generic layout, this is actually a presentation that an association would have to commission. But as a result of many years of shaping public opinion, the field of opinion leader is now occupied by B.A.T. Germany. "No one will have the impression that we only speak up when the house is on fire," says Rainer Stubenvoll.
"The performance consists of 14 subjects excellently texted by Joni Müller," says Peter Lesch, "and Roland Jäggi has once again confirmed himself as an outstanding, subtle layout artist with the perhaps somewhat English-influenced performance." Even the subjects on the subject of the advertising ban do not resort to the arguments of fear. It would correspond neither to the information policy of B.A.T. Germany nor to the style of the agency, these motives would paint for instance an unemployment on the wall, which should concern primarily printers, publishing houses and suppliers. "We far prefer factual information to the sledgehammer method," says the agency owner.
Shaping opinion through advertising has a long tradition at B.A.T. Germany: Until about ten years ago, the company cultivated a public discussion about criticisms of smoking. "In Praise of Tobacco" was the name of the campaign back then.
An advertising relaunch, which took place at the end of 1997, was already no longer exclusively full of praise, but also contained the current educational slogan "Every cigarette you don't consciously enjoy is one too many". Under the slogan "Our opinion on smoking has remained unchanged for 20 years," this campaign featured subjects from the old appearance.
"The new advertising, sensitively conceived by Lesch+Frei Zurich, captures in motifs the opinion that British American Tobacco Germany has today about cigarettes as a product," says Rainer Stubenvoll, press spokesman for B.A.T. Germany. The campaign doesn't pretend to be clueless about the harmful effects of smoking on health, but instead faces up to the onslaught of criticism by having the ads advocate "moderate smoking."
The pollutants filtered from the criticism
The subjects deal with the not always relaxed relationship between smokers and non-smokers, position cigarette smoking as a legal means of enjoyment for adults with due regard for the protection of minors, and deal with the "sword of Damocles" advertising ban.
In terms of the generic layout, this is actually a presentation that an association would have to commission. But as a result of many years of shaping public opinion, the field of opinion leader is now occupied by B.A.T. Germany. "No one will have the impression that we only speak up when the house is on fire," says Rainer Stubenvoll.
"The performance consists of 14 subjects excellently texted by Joni Müller," says Peter Lesch, "and Roland Jäggi has once again confirmed himself as an outstanding, subtle layout artist with the perhaps somewhat English-influenced performance." Even the subjects on the subject of the advertising ban do not resort to the arguments of fear. It would correspond neither to the information policy of B.A.T. Germany nor to the style of the agency, these motives would paint for instance an unemployment on the wall, which should concern primarily printers, publishing houses and suppliers. "We far prefer factual information to the sledgehammer method," says the agency owner.
