“It’s Tox-Ick” Vaping Campaign From CTDPH and Decker

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CTDPH) and Decker were tasked with raising awareness of the harmful effects of vaping, according to Decker President Kathy Boucher.

The campaign research identified teens, parents of teens, and young adults as their parents as priority audiences to get our message out. Based on audience insights, the “It’s Tox-Ick” campaign took shape, embracing horror comedy that also felt peer-to-peer in tone – approachable, memorable, and fact-based.  

Decker discovered that many people don’t understand the amount of toxic chemicals that can be found in vaping. The liquids used heat up and produce toxic chemicals that are extremely harmful and shouldn’t be ingested. In fact, they’re found in and created by a lot of products we encounter every day. Products we would never even consider ingesting.

This campaign draws parallels to chemicals in vaping with chemicals we all are very familiar with. It doesn’t preach, it just says what it is. Granted, it does this in a surprising way.

“Vaping products contain chemicals people would never knowingly put in their bodies, yet many teens and young adults don’t realize what they’re actually inhaling. ‘It’s Tox-Ick’ meets young people where they are, using humor and honesty instead of a lecture. Our goal is simple: give Connecticut’s teens and parents the facts so they can make informed choices.” — Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner, CT Department of Public Health

“Our research told us that teens and young adults tune out traditional health warnings, so we had to find a different way in. ‘It’s Tox-Ick’ leans into dark humor and speaks to young people the way a friend would, not an authority figure. We’re proud of a campaign that’s both fact-based and genuinely memorable.” — Maura Fitzgerald, CMO, CT Department of Public Health

“From concept through execution, we knew we had something with this campaign. It embraces absurdity in delivery and simplicity in the message. We never wanted to preach but instead, just present the facts in a way people would be shocked by or even a little uncomfortable with. At the end of the day, the scariest and most gross part about this campaign are the toxic chemicals that are being inhaled when people vape.” — Dom DeLoya, Creative Director

The “It’s Tox-ick” campaign is running on Connected TV, Streaming Audio, Social, and Digital channels across Connecticut.

Source: Decker

  Advertising, Awareness Campaign, Campaign, Connecticut, Connecticut Department of Public Health, Decker, Marketing