Kommando and The Scottish Government encourage Smokers To ‘Take It Right Outside’

For the second year running, Kommando has partnered up with Story UK and the Scottish Government to “make the invisible visible” and bring to life the dangers of second-hand smoke in a 29 date national tour.

Set in a custom built living room scene, the campaign uses augmented reality to let parents view their child through a tablet surrounded by the harmful chemicals contained in cigarette smoke. Blackened lungs also appear to inhale and exhale on the child’s chest, which really helps drive home the campaign messages in a personal way. Jacqueline McMillan, account director at Kommando said: “Augmented reality is one of the most exciting technologies around. It bridges the gap between the real world and digital information systems. We felt the technology was the best way to bring the invisible to life creating a memorable and educational experience. It’s a hard-hitting and important message, but the concept provides an immersive and engaging way to reach our audience and hopefully initiate behaviour change.”

After having participated in the augmented reality activity, families are asked to “take it right outside” through a door in the living room, where they are photographed by PixAngels photo marketing and gifted a print out of their image in a frame saying “our homes smoke free”. This takeaway can be put on the fridge or elsewhere in the home, and acts as a personalised reminder that participants have pledged to keep a smoke free home. The images are also available on an online gallery where people can share their experience with friends, further amplifying the campaigns reach via social media.

Following feedback from the previous tour, a new facility has been added to allow people to upload their own pledge images to the online gallery and share across social media. This new functionality means that the campaign is able to include and influence people beyond those who actually take part in the experience.

Unlike so many others, the “Right Outside” campaign does not ask people to quit smoking, but educates them on the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Experienced brand ambassadors, flyers, door hangers, car air fresheners and colouring in sheets for the kids all provide easy tips towards decreasing exposure to second-hand smoke. The information and tips are intended to inspire people to change their behaviour, and support the process with pledges as simple as waiting until walking the dog or popping out to the shops before smoking.

 

Having launched on the 7th of October in a Glasgow nursery with a visit from First Minister Maureen Watt, the field tour is now in full swing and will be visiting various supermarkets and shopping centres across Scotland throughout October and November. As the ban on smoking with kids in the car makes it’s way through Parliament, it is important that the public are aware that this is not enough to protect their children. The Scottish Government has set out a plan to give every child in Scotland the chance to grow up in a smoke-free environment a target of reducing the proportion of children exposed to second-hand smoke from 12 per cent to 6 per cent by 2020 has been set. Jill Walker, Scottish Government said, “From research we know that our target audience is not aware that they need to do more to protect their kids from smoke. Because 85 per cent of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless, many believe that if they can’t see or smell smoke, it isn’t there. The opposite is true and we believe this approach will help us reach those audiences and contribute to reducing the proportion of children in Scotland exposed to second-hand smoke in the home.”