Two Gold CLIOs for Truth Initiative’s public education campaign: truth®

Just as it launched a new corporate brand identity and new a website for speaking, seeking and spreading the truth about tobacco, Truth Initiative was awarded two Gold CLIO awards for their truth campaign against youth tobacco use and their call to action to youth to be the generation to end tobacco and #FinishIt.

The two Gold CLIO Healthcare Awards recognize excellence in public relations for advertisements developed as part of “Finish It,” Truth Initiative’s latest truth campaign which launched in 2014. “Unpaid Spokesperson”, which debuted at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards and exposed the negative social impact and influence of celebrities photographed smoking, earned the Gold CLIO for Health Services and Corporate Communications. “Left Swipe Dat”, a music video released at the Grammy’s in 2015 featuring Becky G and Fifth Harmony as well as online influencers such as King Bach and Grace Helbig making the case that smoking is deadly to your health and your online dating life. “Left Swipe Dat” garnered the Gold CLIO for Lifestyle by taking on the social acceptability of smoking in the age of Tinder and other social dating apps.

“We’ve been immersed for the past 18 months in our strategy to make today’s youth and young adults the generation that ends the tobacco epidemic,” said Robin Koval, CEO and president of Truth Initiative. “The re-launched truth campaign in 2014 was the first step, and our latest is a new corporate identity and website that we introduced yesterday which build on the tremendous recognition and influence of our truth campaign. We believe in the power of this generation, and it is very gratifying to be honored for the creativity and energy we are bringing to the fight against tobacco.”

Known for advertisements that push boundaries and inform, truth has always included online, earned media, and live experiences such as the truth tour where the campaign participates in music and extreme sports events across the country were teens and young adults gather. Public relations efforts are part and parcel of bringing truth’s life-saving messages to youth. Both awards recognize public relations strategies developed and carried out by Ketchum. The “Finish It” campaign is the creative product of 72andSunny. Assembly is truth’s agency of record for media.

“Today’s truth campaign builds on the life-saving legacy we built during our first 15 years,” said Eric Asche, Truth Initiative’s chief marketing officer. “We’ve adopted the social language, customs and channels that give youth the power to end the tobacco epidemic through their social influence, and together we will #FinishIt!”