According to the American Lung Association, 2.1 million kids use e-cigarettes and 4,000 kids start vaping every day. 1 in 10 high school students are risking their health. Young people don’t respond well to being told what not to do by faceless authorities. Especially when they’re told not to do something they think is cool.

So as US students go back to school, the American Lung Association and the Ad Council are encouraging parents to talk to their kids about the risks of vaping, in a campaign by Hill Holiday.

The campaign’s hero commercials parody “faceless authority” advertising, the ways that Gen X and Millennial parents received health-related messages. One spot satirises the traditional expert’s PSA and the other the newer peer pressure ad. The humour is entertaining and the message, You’re The Best Person (to talk to your kids) is compelling. That’s a win-win for effectiveness.

The full campaign covers broadcast, radio, digital, social, out-of-home and print, and was developed pro bono by Hill Holliday. The PSAs will appear nationwide in time and space donated by the media. To extend the reach of this message and educate parents on how to talk to their kids about the dangers of vaping, the campaign will also feature posts from a diverse roster of social media influencers, including healthcare professionals and family influencers.

“Youth vaping continues to be a serious public health concern across the US, and it is disheartening that so many teens are addicted to these dangerous products,” stated Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association. “Based on our decades of experience in tobacco control, we know that it is key to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco products in the first place. That’s why this new campaign in partnership with the Ad Council is critical in our work to educate parents and protect teens from the health impacts of vaping.”

“Vaping is one of those issues that’s been normalised. We wanted to point out the real health risks of vaping and do so in a way that someone might even pay attention to,” added Dave Weist, chief creative officer at Hill Holliday. “Still, this campaign is directed to the parents. When it comes to having a conversation about vaping, don’t let someone else do that job. The best person to talk to your kid about vaping is you.”

“Our ongoing partnership with the Lung Association continues to bring critical awareness to the youth vaping crisis nationwide,” said Heidi Arthur, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. “Using the power of humour and nostalgia, our latest work reminds parents everywhere that no one can connect with their child like they can – especially when it comes to talking about the dangers of e-cigarettes.”

The campaign encourages parents to visit TalkAboutVaping.org for resources to help them speak to their kids about vaping, including a “Get the Facts” page and step-by-step conversation guide.

Since the campaign’s launch in 2020, there have been more than 5.5 million visits to the campaign website. Parents who have seen at least one campaign PSA are 30% more likely to have spoken to their kids about the dangers of vaping, compared to parents who have not seen the campaign PSAs. The campaign has received more than US$98.9 million in donated media support and over 10.5 billion impressions across television, radio, print, out-of-home and digital media.