• by Val Brickates Kennedy , February 25, 2014

The American Legacy Foundation, a public health group focused on ending tobacco use in the U.S., said Tuesday that it has chosen 72andSunny as the new creative agency for its "truth" anti-smoking campaign targeted at America's youth, replacing long-time partner Arnold Worldwide.

Boston-based Arnold had worked on the campaign since 2000, and was named its sole advertising agency in late 2007.

The foundation said that it chose 72andSunny because of its "significant consumer brand experience, strategically grounded creative, and sound strategic capabilities." It added that "experience with Web technology, social and digital media, and data/analytics were also assessed during the review stage." 

Legacy announced in July that it intended to launch a new mass media campaign against youth smoking in coordination with similar initiatives being planned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control. The group said that while it had only the "highest praise" for Arnold and the other agencies it had worked with on the "truth" campaign over the years, it still intended to conduct a full review that would include pitches by other agencies. 

Boston's Pile + Company managed the review. Other search finalists included 180LA, Droga5, Anomaly NYC, and BBDO NYC.

In November, Legacy announced MediaCom as its new media planning and buying agency for the "truth" campaign, succeeding Omnicom's PHD.

“Truth has been one of the most successful social norm-shifting campaigns ever, but to reach a new generation of young people requires a disruptive new approach," said Robin Koval, CEO & president of Legacy, in the statement.  "We're confident that 72andSunny will help us create the kind of work necessary to make "truth" the top teen brand it must be to end this epidemic and create Generation Free -- the first smoke-free generation.”