Why Should I Quit Smoking?

"If adults will say to children that smoking is bad, then why are they smoking?"

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation has come up with a very effective advert about quitting smoking - "the Smoking Kid". The same advert answers my question on why I should quit smoking. 

Just the same, this advert answers the 9 questions posed by Lee and Kotler (2011) towards social marketing.

So why should I then quit smoking?

Because this advert focuses towards influencing the smoking behaviour amongst teens and adults alike. That in fact, this advert targets the acceptance of a new behaviour (smoking is not good), rejects a potentially undesirable behaviour (smoking for kids is not good so much so that smoking is not good for everyone), modify a current behaviour (not to smoke), and abandon an old undsirable behaviour (abandon smoking).

Because Philip Kotler & Gerald Zaltman 40 years ago have introduced the idea of utilising marketing principles towards various social causes. Which t now, has evolved already and has been greatly recognised in various causes to include health and wellness.

Because despite the fact that cigarette adverts contain notices on how smoking is bad to ones health, the primordial aim of these adverts is still to sell the idea that smoking is tolerable. While the Smoking Kid advert aims to influence a long prevalent social issue of smoking and on how it greatly diminishes ones health.

Because the Smoking Kid advert has been espoused by both the public government and non-government organisations alike pushing the aim for a healthier community.

Because the Smoking Kid advert carries with it the unique value proposition that taps into every one's subconscious. We get to ask, if adults smoke why can't children smoke then? If adults will say to children that smoking is bad, then why are they smoking? That value exchange which shows that words are not enough but it takes real action to realise and accept and eventually succeed in the influencing of one's behaviour.

Because people behind this advert goes beyond professionals whose aim is not just to make money, but to convey to people the real value of quitting smoking, thank you the the Thai health authorities and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

Because smoking is increasingly becoming popular not just to adults but to children as young as 10 years old. This is an alarm to everyone on how smoking becomes indiscriminate as the years go by.

Because not only that this advert was contained in Thailand, but with the advent of social media, it has become more widespread all over the world.

Because this advert covers the entire strata of the community. A call for every policy maker all over the world, a call for every tobacco manufacturer, a call for every seller, for every buyer and for every user - that smoking is bad to ones health.

So why should I then quit smoking? Because Lee and Kotler asked me 9 questions and I gave 9 answers and I have 9 reasons why I should quit smoking.

Video credit:

Thai Health Promotion Foundation- Smoking Kid
Created by Ogilvy Thailand (2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u-rhnV4l08