The anti-smoking ad campaign, created by Euro RSCG London, includes scenes where an artery is squeezed, exuding a fatty substance, and fat dripping from the ends of smokers' cigarettes.
The ads have driven record traffic to the British Heart Foundation's website but a total of 64 viewers complained that the ads were distasteful and unnecessarily graphic, with some questioning the effectiveness of the approach. Others asked if medical evidence backed up the connection between heart disease and smoking.
The British Heart Foundation defended the campaign, saying that similar awareness campaigns had run in 26 countries with overwhelmingly positive results. Its own research showed that the graphic imagery was an effective way to communicate with smokers.
Regarding the issue of the link between smoking and heart disease, the charity cited a British Medical Journal study conducted over a period of 40 years, showing how cigarette smoke enhances the build-up of fatty substances in coronary arteries, restricting blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attack.
Ofcom acknowledged that some viewers found the ad objectionable, the importance of the message outweighed this and that the ad was suitable for transmission.
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