Monday, August 24, 2009

Health communication in action

One of the standard anti-tobacco initiatives is to have graphic pictures and statements on cigarette packages to warn consumers. This dialogue shows one effect of the warnings.

Supermarket | London, UK

Me: “Can I help you, sir?”

Customer: “A packet of 20 Marlboro Lights, please.”

(I hand him the cigarettes.)

Customer: “Wait, I don’t want these ones.

Me: “Why? They’re Marlboro Lights. Did you change your mind?”

Customer: “No, I don’t want ones with this health warning about cigarettes causing impotency.”

Me: “Ok. Do you want ’smoking harms those around you,’ or ’smoking causes testicular cancer?’”

Customer: “Give me the ‘harms others’ ones.”



I'm not sure if that dialogue implies that the messages work or not.

1 comment:

The Wandering Jew said...

When I was in high school, my male friends would ask for the "may harm your unborn baby" cigarettes since the health warning didn't apply to them.