• by Fern Siegel , June 27, 2024

Vaping is dangerous — and to prove it, The Facts Now, a division of Tobacco Free Florida, kicked off a new campaign.

Alma, its agency of record, has debuted three spots targeting Gen Z teens, a demographic highly influenced by social media, especially when it comes to vaping. But the dangers of vaping, both physical and mental, are never presented.

Instead, Alma's three spots — Behind the Screen, Behind the Road Trip and Behind the Ball — show kids watching peers vape, while juxtaposed with a harsher reality: addiction, mood swings and anxiety. Far from looking cool or glorifying vaping, the ads show its ugly consequences.

The spots are running across OTT and streaming video, OLV, radio and streaming audio, digital, social and search.

Alvar Suñol, Chief Creative Officer at Alma, said: “Social media has had a positive impact on so many young people’s lives, but it’s also exposed U.S. teens to content that doesn’t paint a realistic picture of addition. Authenticity and transparency can inspire action, and if our campaigns can help reach one person and show them how social media can leave out important information, we can raise awareness among teens and help make a difference.”

Alma’s client roster includes Pepsi and Coors Light. The agency was repositioned as The Ungeneral agency to produce culturally relevant work.