Melting Moms Lose Babies in Truth Campaign
We like ads that make a point. Sadly, so many don't and simply waste people's time or don't garner attention in the first place. This Truth campaign street ad (created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky...who, rumor tells us, just lost the account) consists of ice sculptures resembling pregnant women with plastic babies embedded in their bellies placed on street corners which, throughout the day, melt away leaving only the baby. A placard next to the sculptures reads, "Over 30 million (oops) children lose their moms to tobacco every day." Powerful. Of course one does have to question the effectiveness of an ad that takes hours to make its point. Oh wait, they've conveniently crammed the whole process into a :30. Smart thinking CP+B. The spots break January 22.
UPDATE: We received clarification in response to the account shift rumor that "Crispin has not lost the truth account and there is currently no agency review even planned. Also, Arnold Worldwide of Boston shares the account with CP+B."
Comments
"Over 30 million children lose their moms to tobacco every day."
Ummm, no. It says "30 children".
When I read the post, I didn't even notice that. Either I'm particularly slow (quite possible) or people are becoming inured to hyperbolical numbers, particularly in advertising and particularly in public-service advertising.
Beaten maybe a year two. Ogilvy China placed a giant ice sculpture of a polar bear in a busy Beijing mall and let it melt to show the effects of global warming. Client was WWF (no, not the oiled-up wrestlers).