" This phrase has been heard in television commercials and has been read in magazine advertisements. What does it really mean? There is a campaign called Truth, whose main purpose is to educate others on the dangers of smoking and tobacco use. Their controversial commercials make their audience think and reason with the benefits and consequences of smoking. In one particular commercial, a young man enters a packing and shipping store with a small box. He places it on the counter, and announces that he needs to ship some arsenic and cyanide. The man behind the counter becomes concerned, if not annoyed at him for wanting to send such hazardous materials. After arguing for a few moments, the young man opens the box to reveal that it's filled with cigarettes. .
Many of the advertisements created by Truth are disturbing and considered by many to be inappropriate. Within each ad, however, are facts and figures designated to expose the harsh reality of the cigarette industry. Their website, www.thetruth.com, is filled with information on cigarette companies and the consequences of tobacco use. One of their top issues is the amount of money that cigarette companies make off of smokers, and their non-sympathetic attitudes toward the health of these people. In a section on their website entitled "Who We Are," the group writes:.
Our philosophy isn't anti-smoker or pro-nonsmoker. It's not even so much about smoking. It's about an industry manipulating their products, facts, and advertising to secure replacements for the 1200 customers they "lose" every day.
You know, because they die.
Our only objective is to make sure every person gets to know the facts about tobacco. Bottom line. Smoker. Non-smoker. Non-issue. (http://www.thetruth.com).
A large part of their campaign is not to persuade, convince, or play with the minds of their audience. They want to inform and educate, rather than tell people how to make their life choices and decisions.
