CUSTOMER
Cancer Society of Finland
YEAR
2023–2024
WORK
Campaigns
Content creation
Social media
Video production
Don’t Be a Guinea Pig–a creative campaign preventing vaping among teenagers
The use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, has risen sharply among Finnish minors. Our goal was to raise awareness about the risks of vaping in a way that resonates with young people. The “Don’t Be a Guinea Pig” campaign won the Public Administration’s Launch category and the Influence Campaign of the Year award at the Finnish Comms Awards 2024.
Challenge
E-cigarette liquids and vapors contain harmful substances that are known to be cancer risk factors. However, there is still limited research on the long-term effects of vaping, so we don’t yet know what the full impact will be. What we do know is that even in the short term, the risks are significant.
The campaign aimed to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of vaping in a way that resonates with them. We wanted to reach as many young people as possible, particularly those aged 13-17, through social media, and direct them to reliable information.
The challenge was making the message and materials relevant enough to capture teens’ attention amid the flood of content in social media. The material needed to be engaging enough to drive young people onto the campaign website to learn more about the issue.
Solution
The campaign slogan was “Don’t Be a Guinea Pig.” The message was simple: not everything is known about the dangers of vaping, and if you’re vaping, you’re essentially a guinea pig for the tobacco industry.
The campaign featured animated videos, enhanced with artificial intelligence to amplify their visual impact. AI was used to create test animals dressed as young people, placed in everyday settings familiar to the target audience—like sports tracks, school restrooms, and skate parks.
We also involved young people directly in the planning phase of the campaign. A panel discussion was held at a secondary school in Vantaa, where students were shown drafts of the visual materials. The target group provided valuable insights that helped refine the campaign and deepened our understanding of the issues young people face.
The campaign ran across social media platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. In parallel, we encouraged social media influencers and organizations with a strong online presence to share the campaign message pro bono.
See the campaign video (in Finnish) below
Results
We reached 34% of our target audience—over a third. Of that group, 13% clicked through to the campaign landing page to learn more about the topic. Thanks to pro bono support, the campaign also reached over 45,000 social media users. Best of all, a few schools and health centers were so inspired by the materials that they displayed them in their lobbies’ digital screens during the campaign.
84% of respondents to the feedback survey on the campaign website reported that they had learned more about vaping through the campaign. Additionally, there was a significant increase in motivation among respondents not to vape after engaging with the campaign.
From the perspective of Cancer Society of Finland, listening to the target audience—young people, in this case—is crucial in the planning and execution of communication and marketing strategies. In the “Don’t Be a Guinea Pig” campaign, we gained invaluable insights from young people through a panel discussion at a secondary school in Vantaa. This gave us a deeper understanding of vaping—from how it’s perceived by young people to the various factors involved. It also provided critical information that helped shape the campaign. The young participants shared very specific details, which proved vital to the campaign’s success and credibility when addressing their peers.
We believe that the campaign’s message and AI-generated materials were highly effective, and that the chosen channels were well-suited to both the target audience and the issue. The agency’s creative concept of presenting young vapers as “guinea pigs” for the tobacco industry was both insightful and engaging. The execution was not only visually appealing but also attention-grabbing. During the campaign, we received requests from schools and health centers to display the campaign materials on their info screens, which meant the campaign extended beyond its original scope and reached wider audiences.
Additionally, involving influencers and organizations in the social media campaign was a smart strategy. It allowed us to spread the message even further than through the paid advertising alone, amplifying the campaign’s reach and impact.
According to a pop-up survey on the campaign website, the vast majority of respondents gained more knowledge about vaping and its dangers. The campaign has also motivated more people to avoid vaping. Overall, we are extremely satisfied with both the campaign and the collaboration.
– Tiina Kiviluoma, Health Promotion Specialist at Cancer Society of Finland
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