The Swedish smart billboard that coughs when you smoke near it is a campaign against smoking. It is one way to remind narcotic addicts that smoking is bad for their health. A billboard equipped with smoke detectors that coughs as they pass by helping them be reminded.
The electronic sign that appears normal to non smokers, featuring a black and white picture of a man that seems usual enough for non-smokers at first glance. However, smokers will see a different side of the billboard. As smokers pass by the bill board starts coughing as a response to second hand smoking.
The Swedish smart billboard is an innovative advertisement paid by the Swedish pharmacy chain that wants to encourage smokers to kick their smelly habit. After coughing the screen, then changes again, offering various products sold by pharmacy chain Apotek Hjartat that can help smokers quit.
According to the CNN, the agency behind the campaign, Akestam Holst, created the effect by attaching smoke detectors to the digital advertising screen. They chose a location where so many smokers are passing by, then the coughing begins. The agency filmed the different reactions of the crowd.
Fredrik Kullberg, marketing director at Apotek Hjartat said that the purpose was to drive the conversation about this topic, documenting the reactions, encouraging people to live a healthy lifestyle. And most of the reactions were positive.
Some examples of reactions, a man was continuing to puff and looking at the billboard. Another example is a woman laughing after realizing she was the one causing the billboard to cough. Most are confused and amused with the smart billboard.
According to the RT, although the billboard was placed in a location where a lot of smokers pass by, Sweden actually has the lowest smoking rate all over Europe. This is according to the 2012 report by the European Council, only 13 percent. The Swedish smart billboard is an interesting way to campaign against excessive smoking.
