The government-sponsored multimillion-pound "death repackaged" campaign aims to raise awareness of what Cancer Research calls "misleading" new advertising tactics by cigarette manufacturers who have been forced to abandon terms such as "low tar", "light" and "mild".
The television, radio, press and poster advertising aims to highlight the fact that the renaming of brands using clean, fresh colours and better taste - such as Lambert & Butler Gold, Silk Cut Blue and More Special Whites - are no better for smokers.
The innocently named, but potentially deadly, creatures Susie, Mike and Rosie dramatise the concept that a benign-sounding name does not make something less deadly.
The ads are part of a £15 million three-year government initiative to highlight the dangers of smoking.
"By banning misleading terms such as 'light' and 'mild', we are making a positive move, which will help reduce the prevalence of smoking-related diseases," the public health minister, Melanie Johnson, said.
"This campaign will increase the awareness of this move and make people realise that the only healthy option when it comes to smoking is stopping altogether."
The ads were written by Dave Chalu with art direction by Stephen Rutterford.
Production and direction was handled in-house by BBH. Media planning is by MediaCom and buying by COI Communications for the Department of Health.
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