Tobacco Prevention Media Campaigns

These media campaigns are part of Santa Clara County's INSPIRE Tobacco Prevention initiative, a comprehensive effort to prevent young people from smoking, help smokers quit, and reduce Santa Clara County resident's exposure to secondhand smoke. These campaigns are funded by Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

New! "Fresh Air" Public Awareness Media Campaign

Residents of the City of San José will now enjoy outdoor dining with a side of fresh air. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the City of San José have partnered to launch a new public awareness campaign titled, "Fresh Air" as part of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) Tobacco Prevention Initiative. The goal of the campaign is to support San José's secondhand smoke ordinance which passed in the spring of 2012. This smoke-free outdoor dining/drinking law will protect patrons and workers from the dangerous health effects of breathing secondhand smoke, while providing a smoke-free dining experience for nonsmokers and those who are trying to quit smoking.

This campaign features two distinct ads (one with a salad and one with a cup of coffee) with the tagline "What makes this salad even better? A side of fresh air. San José is now smoke-free in all outdoor dining/drinking areas." The ads are a localized version of a Los Angeles media campaign designed to raise awareness of secondhand smoke in outdoor dining settings. The ads are in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and are visibly displayed at various locations throughout the City of San José, which include billboards, transit shelters, buses, light rail, bar and restaurant bathrooms and coasters. The campaign will run from January 28 through March 10, 2013. To read the complete ordinance (No. 29053), click here.

Fresh Air Print Ads

Fresh Air - Salad ad: English, Spanish and Vietnamese

Fresh Air - Coffee ad: English, Spanish and Vietnamese

"Reverse the Damage" Cessation Campaign

Reverse the Damage seeks to educate Santa Clara County residents about the health benefits of giving up smoking by providing facts to encourage smokers to quit. The print ads, in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, were placed on billboards, bus shelters, gas pump toppers and other venue-based ads, and point of purchase displays such as convenience stores, through the month of May 2012. This message reached more than 52,000 residents. The print ad was also posted on the You Smoke They Smoke Facebook page.

Lame Reasons to Smoke

This counter-marketing campaign from the INSPIRE Tobacco Prevention Initiative hit the air waves at the end of January 2012, complete with a countywide launch with various on-line social networking sites is a 30-second, 3D animated video called "Lame Reasons to Smoke." The aim of "Lame Reasons to Smoke" youth prevention campaign is intended to reach out to youth who are at most risk of taking up smoking, and uses humor and irony to address some of the impacts smoking has on youth's physical appearance and health. The video aired on local cable stations and movie theaters countywide from January through March 2012. The full video is available to view on Facebook at

http://www.facebook.com/lamereasonstosmoke and Google's video network site, targeting more tech-oriented youths.

46 Years Old

The INSPIRE Tobacco Prevention initiative in partnership with the CDC released a 30-second television ad in November 2011. This campaign is designed to raised awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and motivate smokers to quit. The TV ad features the real-life story of Rick Stoddard, a man who lost his wife when she was 46 years old to lung cancer. In an effort to promote a smoke-free, healthier lifestyle among Santa Clara County families, the TV ad will run on local broadcast and cable stations through March 2012. The video is also posted on the initiative's You Smoke They Smoke Facebook page. To watch video, click below.

It's Like They're Smoking

To address the harmful effects of secondhand smoke in children, the CDC in partnership with the INSPIRE Tobacco Prevention initiative launched a 30-second television ad in November 2011 which features vignettes of children talking about being exposed to secondhand smoke. As the narrator points out, secondhand smoke is nothing to kid about. It can affect lung growth and damage lung function in children. When smoking around your children, it's like they're smoking too. The TV ad will air through March 2012 on local broadcast and cable stations, and is posted on You Smoke They Smoke Facebook page. To view video, click below.

You Smoke They Smoke - Secondhand Smoke is More Dangerous Than You Think

The evidence is clear - inhaling secondhand smoke from other people's tobacco can lead to lung disease and premature death in nonsmokers. This 30-second television spot was developed for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department by Better World Advertising. The commercial, in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, was aired between April and July 2011 on local broadcast and cable stations. Help spread the message about the dangers of secondhand smoke by sharing the commercial and downloading the campaign materials. Also visit, You Smoke They Smoke website (English, Spanish and Vietnamese) for information on how to get involved in the initiative.

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