The Sunny Side of Truth

I'm sure by now you've seen those Sunny Side of Truth ads on TV. As you know Phillip Morris was long ago ordered to run PSAs as part of all the lawsuits brought upon large tobacco companies in the 90s.

I hate these commercials. "Why don't they show us someone with a hole in his throat? Or a cancer-riddled lung? Or someone's whose lost a father or child to smoking?" I asked Shawn on dismal afternoon.

"Because they don't actually want people to quit smoking! They're just filling their obligations to the judge's orders." he said.

Good point. I never thought I'd see the day when I see an anti-smoking campaign plastered with singing and dancing cartoon characters.

I'd like to see the bright and shiny horse start hacking and couching and then just keel over. A cute little squirrel runs over and says in a high voice, "Oh my! He's got emphysema!"

No, no. I'd like to see THIS ad:
An old man or woman, hooked up to oxygen. He or she looks directly at you, then lights up a cigarette, knowing the tank is explosive. BLAM!

The screen turns bright red with big white letters that appear in the middle of the screen.....

SMOKING IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE AND WILL MOST LIKELY KILL YOU, SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY. DON'T SMOKE.
Followed by a list of websites for support on quitting smoking.

I think that might be somewhat more effective than dancing elves, high school kids that turn into monkeys (remember that one) or a pile of body bags in a public street. Give me something to identify with, here.