The campaign, which ran in the new year, warned smokers of the danger of heart disease and was created by Euro RSCG London. It includes a graphic scene where an artery is being squeezed to show fat coming out of it, prompting 64 complaints from viewers.
Research by Hall & Partners found that 94% of smokers recognised at least one element of the ad, beating the statistics for any other campaign the research agency has worked on.
Helen Westwall, strategic and creative development director of Hall & Partners, said: "The 94% recognition figure is startling. In our history we have never seen any advertisement cut through so strongly. When you consider the TV ads only ran for one month, this is all the more amazing."
The evaluation found that 82% of people felt that the ad has a serious message, and 83% said that it would make them think again about stopping smoking. It also found a rise in the number of people who linked smoking with clogged arteries from 55% before the campaign to 73% after.
Betty McBride, director of marketing and communications at the BHF, said: "These results show our ad has penetrated the public consciousness and successfully raised awareness of the link between smoking and heart disease.
"It has left an indelible print on many smokers' memories, so that every time they pick up a cigarette they think of our advertisement and remember the damage that cigarettes can do to their arteries."
The BHF has already seen record traffic to its website since the campaign broke. The research polled the campaign's target audience of many-time quitting smokers aged 30 to 50 in the first week of February.
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